The Hogwarts Charm
by Cinammon
Summary: READ ME! Wyatt Haliwell and his cousin Talia, leave everything they've ever known behind, and embark on the magical adventure of a lifetime to Hogwarts and the wizarding world! CharmedHarry Potter crossover!
1. Where Two Worlds Meet

**A/N: **Hello everyone! I am officially back and running! Finals are finally over and I couldn't be happier! And because I always keep my promises, here's the sequel to my story _Talia_.

Most of you will have noticed that even though _Talia_ is a _Charmed_fanfic, I've listed its sequel as a _Harry Potter _fanfic. The reason being of course, that this story is a crossover between the two. I did warn you that there would be a lot more Talia and Wyatt in the sequel, rather than the Charmed Ones themselves. Which is not to say that Piper, Phoebe and Paige won't have any part in this story. Or that Cole himself, won't be making appearances.

For those of you who haven't read _Talia_ I really suggest you read it before continuing. There's a summary of it below, but I personally don't think it does it justice. Of course, I'm just the author so what do I know?

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One last thing. I wanted to thank my wonderful beta **Nightcrawler** who despite being swamped with finals (his haven't finished yet) has still found the time to look over my story and give it the glossy finish it now has (we hope!).

I'd also like to thank **Ernie,** my laptop, who despite my brother's predictions that it wouldn't last the stressful period of exams when it was most definitely overused, never mind the airplane trip home, has stuck with me and survived long enough for me to write this chapter. Hehehe, so far so good!

Now that I've wasted this much of your time, I leave you to continue on with the story.

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**For those of you who haven't read _Talia_:** Sixteen years after the last time the Charmed Ones saw Cole Turner, a girl with long, brown hair and big brown eyes shows up on the Haliwells' doorstep claiming to be Phoebe's and Cole's long-lost daughter. Her name is Talia. After getting over the initial shock, the Halliwells welcome her to their home, their lives and their hearts. Talia has spent the first sixteen years of her life living with her, very-much-alive, father, who also happens to be the Source of All Evil. Talia has had a very dark childhood as the Princess of the Underworld. A former recipient of fear and respect from all evil beings everywhere, Talia suddenly finds herself in a completely different situation. She has left the only home and lifestyle she has ever known, and seeks to redeem herself fighting for the Light along with the Halliwells. The entire Underworld considers her the worst of traitors and is out for her blood. But Talia is very powerful and has an understanding of the world of Magic that the rest of her family doesn't. She's particularly close to her younger cousin, Wyatt, and, despite both being major players on the opposing sides of a raging war, she is also close to her father, who often helps her out even though he's not supposed to. In _Talia_, Talia finds herself entangled in a complex web of deceit, lies, treachery and intrigue. It's a miracle how she makes it out alive; but Talia has a bit of a knack for survival...

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**Disclaimer:** Listen up everyone because this is the only disclaimer you'll get for the entire story! The following is a crossover between J.K. Rowling's characters from the Harry Potter children's book series and the TV show _Charmed_ by Warner Bros. Fanfiction.net has very kindly allowed me to play around with all these characters that – once again, I repeat – do not belong to me. I own nothing except Talia, Xander, any other original characters that I may use, and the plot. This whole story was created out of love for the art of storytelling. Please don't sue me. I am but a poor student and the only thing I have in abundance, are debts.

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**Where Two Worlds Meet**

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An old man with a flowing white beard and dark purple robes sat at his desk staring intently at the two photographs in his hands.

The first photograph was of a handsome, well built young man, clearly around the age of sixteen. His golden hair glinted in the sun and his bright blue eyes twinkled in merriment. His lips were turned upwards in an easy smile. Maturity and self-confidence radiated off the young man through the non-moving, muggle photo.

The second photo was of a beautiful young woman. She had a young face and figure, but there was something in her eyes that made one place her age from anywhere between ten and a hundred. She, too, seemed confident and self-assured, but there was a veil of mystery around her. She would look perfectly place in some ancient Greek tragedy, he decided.

Professor Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of the well-acclaimed Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry sighed. He never looked more tired than he did at that very moment.

A knock sounded at the oak door of the Headmaster's office. Professor Dumbledore, consciously, straightened up.

"Come in," he called in a gravely voice.

A stern-looking woman in her sixties entered the room.

"I came to see how you were doing," she said without preamble, taking a seat in front of Professor Dumbledore's desk.

"There's no need to fuss about me, Minerva," he said, not unkindly. "Making hard decisions comes with being a headmaster."

"With Voldemort's return you are much more than a headmaster Albus," she said with a blunt honesty that spoke of long familiarity. "_Have_ you come to a decision?" she asked.

Professor Dumbledore sighed once more.

"I have," he said.

He picked up the two photographs that had been lying on his desk and walked around the enormous piece of furniture that had accommodated so many other headmasters and headmistresses before him, to her. He handed her the photographs.

"Wyatt Halliwell and Talia Turner," he said, "are cousins and two of the most powerful Wiccan witches around. Wyatt is soon to be sixteen and Talia seventeen. I will be inviting them to join Hogwarts in September."

Professor Minerva McGonagall raised her eyebrows at his statement.

"Wiccans?" she said.

He shrugged.

"It won't be the first time there would be Wiccans at Hogwarts."

Minerva seemed instantly interested.

"Really...?"

"Yes. It's true that their kind of magic is different than ours, but they can be taught to do things our way; with wands."

She paused thoughtfully, and then frowned.

"But how will two underage Wiccans help protect the school?" she asked.

Dumbledore observed her for a moment.

"What do you know about Wiccans, Minerva?"

She considered her answer carefully before she gave it.

"Admittedly not much...

"Long ago, at the division of the magical world, Wiccans chose to live among muggles, hiding their gift of magic. They don't use wands like we do, invoking the power of the earth and the world around them in their spells instead. They use potions too. Perhaps most importantly, they are born with certain powers, gifts, that differ for every one of them. Some of these gifts, or powers, are often what muggles call ESP, Extrasensory Perception."

The headmaster nodded.

"And some of these powers are even more extreme," he continued where she had left off, pacing the floor in a way that showed to his old friend, the rare state of agitation he was in. "Wiccans have been known to freeze time, create lightning and even have the power of illusion. Most Wiccans have only one gift, two at the most. These two children," he said, looking back at the photographs in Minerva's hands, "are even more powerful than that!"

Professor McGonagall's eyes went wide in realization. She looked back at the photographs appraisingly.

"Wiccans have, selflessly, taken on the role of protecting muggles from the forces of Evil. That is why, back in the division of the magical world, they chose to stay with muggles. Because of that resolution, they have frequent contact with the demonic world. Even as young as at the age of Mr. Halliwell and Miss Turner, they have a rather extensive experience in fighting evil forces. These two particular Wiccans are not only incredibly strong with an extensive experience in fighting Evil, but they are also the right age to be accepted at Hogwarts as students.

"These are trying times Minerva. Our students are in constant danger, and there is no greater danger than the one from within. As in every school, there are things that go on between students that, professors that we are, we never get to hear about. We need someone that will live among the students, be accepted by them and gain their trust, someone with enough experience in battling Evil that will realise a threat when they see it," his eyes glinted speculatively. "It doesn't hurt if this particular someone can protect themselves and others, the way these two children can."

Professor McGonagall stayed quiet for a while.

"Where did you hear about these two?"

"I have my spies," Professor Dumbledore answered vaguely.

"There's something about them that you're not telling me. What powers do they have?"

Dumbledore was suddenly stone-faced.

"I'd rather not say Minerva. I don't want them treated any differently than the other students. In fact, I don't think anyone, other than me, in the wizarding world, should know quite what these two are capable of."

Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow.

"They're that powerful?"

Professor Dumbledore said nothing in return. She correctly translated his silence as acquiescence.

"Will you tell them what they are here for?"

Professor Dumbledore was quiet for a while again.

"No," he finally said. "I don't believe that's necessary. They will keep an eye out for evil without being told to do so."

Professor McGonagall gave a bitter smile.

"What you mean to say is that you don't believe that they'll come if you tell them."

Professor Dumbledore said nothing. Once again his silence was enough to confirm her comment.

"They'll need special tutoring before September," she said, "in the ways of wizarding magic."

"Yes they will. I'm going to ask them to come to Hogwarts during the summer. I'm sure whichever of the Professors are planning to stay over during the holidays, will be happy to help."

Minerva sighed tiredly.

"What _will_ you tell the professors?"

"The truth..."

Minerva scowled in reprimand at his blatant lie.

"Or part of the truth at least," said Dumbledore smiling sheepishly. "Hogwarts will have two new students this September and they happen to be Wiccans. As such, they will be requiring extra tutoring in the ways of the wizarding world throughout the summer."

She sighed once again.

"I hate involving children in this war," she said.

Dumbledore gave her a half-smile.

"Need I remind you Minerva, that children are already involved in this war? Harry Potter has been involved since the day he was born. Neville Longbottom has been involved since the Lestranges and Barty Crouch attacked his parents. Ron Weasly, Ginny Weasly and Hermione Granger, have been involved since their first year here at Hogwarts. The entire D.A. became involved this past year. Children everywhere are realising what's going on. They want to fight because they understand that it is _their_ future they are fighting for.

"Besides, ours is not the only side that's been using children. More than three quarters of the children in Slytherin are expected to join Voldemort's ranks. Draco Malfoy, next year's obvious choice for Head Boy, is sure to be one of Voldemort's finest."

Dumbledore sat tiredly in a chair facing his deputy Headmistress and oldest friend.

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"I hate to see such promise go to waste," he said, referring to his previous comment about Draco Malfoy, "but people like the Malfoys will not listen to anyone. That was his father's downfall, and, though I hope otherwise, it seems that it will be Draco's too."

He turned his no-longer-twinkling blue eyes to the Transfiguration Professor.

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"You and I, and people like Moody, will do our best, but the truth is, our time has come and gone. Whether we like it or not Minerva, this is a war for the young, as all wars are. We have no choice but to send children into battle."

"I know," she said. "But I don't have to like it."

"None of us do," he assured her.

She looked back down at the photographs in her hand.

"You think they'll come?"

Dumbledore smiled and, suddenly, there was a hint of a twinkle back in his blue eyes.

"You know Minerva, I have a feeling that they will."

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**A/N: **Well, that's the first chapter for you! Second chapter's almost finished so that shouldn't be long in coming. Please let me know what you thought of it. I know that by jumping fandoms I'll probably lose a lot of fans from both 'realms', but I absolutely had to write this. What can I say, my muse was calling!


	2. Owl Post

**A/N: **You guys have no idea how loved you made me feel! Really. I got nearly 20 reviews for my first chapter! The reviews just kept coming in and I couldn't believe my good fortune! I feel really, really lucky to have reviewers like you and it was nothing short of wonderful hearing from old friends.

And because you've all been so bloody wonderful, here's a huge chapter for your reading pleasure!

**Charmedfanatic3000**: Glad you liked the concept. I was rather worried that most of my previous reviewers wouldn't. I read your own story, but Ernie was giving me trouble again, and for some strange reason, I couldn't review. I thought it was a lovely story. I've only got one piece of advice for you, from one author to another: you're better off getting a beta reader. You've no idea how much of a difference it makes. It works for me!

Hey, **Mickis**! grins at sight of old friend It's good to see you too! You're the kind of reader that makes writing, and actually publishing my writings on ff.net, worthwhile. I feel very honoured to have someone as loyal as you, like my writing, and I appreciate your willingness to follow this story despite your lack of enthusiasm for Harry Potter.

**LadyKnight6**: Ah, a fellow Harry Potter fan! I find the books to be much more than the children's books they're usually portrayed as. I'm rather looking forward to seeing how the characters interact together, too.

**Frances**: I'd be honoured to have you read my story and I'll be sending you updates, don't worry!

**Barb6**: The fact that you're willing to read my fic despite you not being into Harry Potter, just goes to show what a wonderful reader and reviewer you are. I was rather afraid of doing the crossover thing at first, knowing that it would probably cost me some of my old reviewers, but like I said, when the muse calls... Don't reject Harry Potter until you've tried it. It may originally be a series of children's books, but the world JK Rowling created has a lot of potential in it that I was just dying to explore. Don't worry. Harry Potter isn't for small children the way I write it. Thus the PG13 rating. Read some of my HP one-shots if you don't believe me! This chapter is all Charmed, so that should keep you happy.

**Mcgirl**: Hey, are you a new reviewer? I'm sorry, I don't remember you from _Talia_. Not a problem of course. If you like HP, Charmed, both, or just enjoy a good story, then climb aboard and I promise to take you for one heck of a ride! I've got an update mailing list. Wanna be on it?

**Chantedly**: I was hoping you'd come back for more! I really value your comments and I'm really glad you've decided to stick with Talia despite the HP element. Please read what I've written to Barb6. Don't be so quick to discard the Potterverse! And there'll be plenty of Talia action, I promise. On other news... how's your love life these days? I've ignored guys for the past school year (what with university studies and work, there was just no time) and I'm just about ready for a good old-fashioned summer fling! Now I just have to find a guy to set my sights on. I love summer flings!

Brilliant smile right back at ya! Hey **Mixer**! I loved working on Talia! The characters became all too real in my disturbed little mind! On too many occasions to count, I found myself planning a certain scene, but when it came to actually writing it, the characters simply refused to comply! Especially Talia. She's got a mind of her own that girl! I loved the idea of throwing her, Wyatt, and the rest of the cast of Charmed, into the wizarding world and watch them deal with it. My fingertips are literally itching to write the rest of this story!

**Meow14**: Yeah, Star Wars might not work. Plus I'm not really a fan of Star Wars. But then again, that's what I said a year ago about Harry Potter. Either way, your confidence in, and love of, my writing, is humbling. I'll do my absolute best to justify your faith in me!

**Lurkerjenny**: Are you a new reviewer too, or have I done another blunder and not remembered you when I should? Thank you for your kind words. I hope you enjoy the next chapter. Please read what I wrote to mcgirl above, about the mailing list.

**Roby Murphy**: Are you Ruby Murphy and this was a typo or a name change? Have we met before? Either way, thank you very much for you kind words. I'll try to live up to the expectation you guys have of me.

**Winter Blaze**: I LOVE your new name! And thanks for liking the whole realm change. It went against my review-gathering instincts, but in the end I had to follow my muse. And because of great reviewers like you, I haven't regretted it yet! I'd very much like to read your story, but it might be a while. I'm absolutely swamped this 'holiday', what with a summer internship and the little matter of getting my driver's licence. I've had to cut back on my fic reading time, can you believe it? I'll read your fic as soon as I get the time.

**Bob-the-bear**: You asked for it, you got it! You are now officially on my 'update list thingo'. Is this a quick enough update for you?

**Charmedchick11**: It's good to be cautious when reading fics. I hate to say it, but there are some pretty bad ones out there. It's a shame really, because a lot of the authors are very creative and come out with wonderful ideas, but often, their grammar or spelling, really lets them down. That's when beta readers come in handy! I'm glad you liked my story. Here's the update for you!

**Paige**: I'm going to try to make you prediction come true and make this story 'awesome'!

And now ladies and gentlemen, I'd just like to announce that the following chapter is dedicated to **Ori**.

Ever since the posting of the first chapter, Ori has not only reviewed it, but systematically read and reviewed most of my other stories too, _then_ came back to review the very same first chapter again, only to tell me that I, am a genius! grins widely, suddenly giddy with insane praise

_Ernie: Ori. You. Are. Simply. The. Best._

She certainly is, Ernie, she certainly is. To solve one of your queries, I wouldn't hold my breathif I were you, regarding DHr. I love that pairing and there will definitely be a lot of Draco and a lot Hermione. I just don't think they'll end up together in this one, sorry. Once again, thank you for all of your reviews!

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One last note and then I'll let you get on with the story.

I promise to do my best to entertain you, whatever it takes. You know why? Before posting _Talia_ on ff.net, I confess that I had all but given up on my creative writing. My studies have more to do with mathematics and economics, than literature and storytelling. You guys, with your kind words and glowing reviews, have renewed my confidence in, and have reminded me how much I love, writing my own stories. For that, I'll be forever grateful.

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**Updated A/N:** My wonderful beta, **Nightcrawler****,** is back! He's finally managed to beta this chapter. This is a much better version of this chapter, don't you think? I'm not American, something I think most of you guessed by now, and any American touches in the Charmed cast's speech is entirely due to him. Thanks **Nightcrawler**!

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**Owl Post**

"Wyatt!" screamed Talia in earnest.

Her cousin only just managed to orb away, before green flames engulfed the very spot he had just been occupying. Wyatt orbed back a few metres away, to safety.

Talia's eyes blazed. _How dare they endanger her family!_ With a well-aimed flip, Talia gracefully landed on her feet, right in front of the demon who found it appropriate to attack them at eight o'clock on a Saturday morning.

She exchanged a quick look with the blond boy that was her cousin. The look spoke volumes in the way that, only a look between two people that knew each other inside out, could. Wyatt nodded briefly before orbing out of the room, leaving Talia alone, to face the enemy.

"Well, well, if it isn't the little phoenix..." growled the demon.

He was an ugly one, even by most demons' standards. His face was sickly green and deformed. White hair flowed down his back. His black eyes glowed menacingly on his snarling face and green fire flew from his finger tips.

But Talia was angry. It was a Saturday and the first day of her and Wyatt's summer holidays. Was it too much to ask that it would be demon free?!

"It's," punch, "eight," jab, "o'clock in the damn," kick, "morning!" she screamed at him in annoyance. "Honestly," she said, elbowing the demon in the stomach, "don't you guys," she kneed the male demon right between the legs, "have anything better to do?" she asked, watching the creature crumble onto the floor.

"I've got the spell!" yelled Wyatt, even as he orbed back into the basement where Talia was still standing over the demon's prone form.

In a single, sweeping glance, Wyatt took in the sight of the demon who lay curled in the foetal position on the floor. The demon practically whimpered. Wyatt gave a smile of grim satisfaction. He walked quickly over to where his cousin stood, waving a piece of paper towards her. The two teenagers leant over the paper which was covered with Wyatt's untidy scrawl.

_Hear us now who call you near_

_Hear our plead, quench our fear_

_Send this demon of the night_

_Out of mind, out of sight_

_Rid the world from the creature's plight_

_Through our strength, through our might_

And the creature in question, exploded in a burst of flames, leaving nothing but a scorch mark on the basement floor.

Wyatt sighed in relief.

"I wish they'd take a hint," he said, picking up his towel from the ground and wiping his sweaty face on it. The demon had caught them in the middle of their early morning training session in the basement.

Talia was still examining the piece of paper the vanquishing spell had been written on.

"Another Wyatt original?" she asked.

Wyatt grinned.

"It worked, didn't it?"

"Yeah...it's a good spell," she praised.

"Wyatt! Talia! Breakfast's ready!" called a voice from somewhere above ground.

Talia and Wyatt looked at each other, and grinned, before racing up the stairs as one. They kept running until they reached the kitchen.

"Mmm, is that pancakes I smell, Mom?" asked Wyatt, coming to a sudden stop, hardly out of breath despite his mad dash. Talia was right behind him.

"What can I say?" said Piper cheerfully, "I got up on the right side of the bed this morning. And since this is the first day of your vacation, I thought I'd make you a special breakfast."

"Aunt Piper, every meal you make is special," said Talia a-little-too-sweetly, giving her aunt a loud kiss on the cheek.

Wyatt was already at the table, piling pancakes onto his plate. At Talia's words, he briefly abandoned his breakfast to make gagging faces behind his mother's back. The brunette cheekily put her tongue out at him before she too sat at the table. Wyatt picked up the chocolate syrup and squirted a rather enthusiastic amount onto his pancakes.

"Aunt Piper..." Talia started.

"If you're looking for the maple syrup," laughed Piper, "it's in the cereal cupboard."

"Am I that predictable?" Talia whined, already half-way to the cereal cupboard Piper mentioned.

"When it comes to pancakes and maple syrup you are!" said Wyatt through a mouthful of pancakes.

"Morning," breezed Paige walking into the kitchen. "Ooh, pancakes!" she cried out in delight, sitting down at the table. "What's the occasion?"

"No occasion. I just woke up in a good mood, that's all," explained Piper, putting a plate of fresh pancakes in the middle of the table.

"How was training?" asked Paige, reaching out for the chocolate syrup.

"We got attacked," said Wyatt between mouthfuls and without thinking.

"_What???"_ Piper exclaimed, whipping around.

Talia sighed in exasperation cradling her face in her hands. There was no real reason to let the Charmed Ones know of this latest demon attack. It was over and done with and she was planning on updating the Book of Shadows herself, later on. It would just make them worry for no reason at all. When would Wyatt ever learn?!

"Honestly Aunt Piper," said Talia rolling her eyes, "you act as if it's the first time!"

"I trust you kicked butt...?" asked Paige with a grin. She knew her niece and nephew would never be so nonchalant about a demon attack if it had been anything serious.

Wyatt nodded with a triumphant smile, not daring to talk with his mouth full, just when his mother was getting riled up.

"Can we rewind this conversation for a minute? Who attacked you? Are you ok? Was anybody hurt?" asked a frantic Piper.

"Relax, Mom. The only one who got hurt, was the demon who attacked us," said Wyatt, smirking.

"It was no big deal Aunt Piper, really. It was a lower level demon. His name was Aratrane, I think. I'll have to check in the book. I just kept him busy, while Wyatt orbed upstairs to the book and got the vanquishing spell. It was all over in a matter of minutes."

Piper still looked slightly doubtful. She knew exactly how powerful her son and niece were, but that didn't mean that she could stop worrying.

Paige noticed and tried to divert the conversation to a safer subject.

"You know, I don't understand how you two can wake up at six o'clock in the morning for such an exhausting workout! You're on your summer vacation for goodness' sake! Don't you know the meaning of 'sleeping in'?"

"That's what I said!" complained Wyatt, scowling at his cousin.

"It's the best time to practice," explained Talia with a shrug. "It's the only time in summer that's cool enough to do it, and once you get the training done, you can do whatever you want with the rest of your day! Wyatt's _finally _getting used to waking up early," she ignored a rather indignant 'hey' from her cousin, and continued, "and even Mom joined us yesterday!"

Talia seemed rather proud of that fact.

"You know..." she said, and there was an evaluating look in her eyes as she examined critically the two grown-ups in the kitchen, "you two could use some training too. And, no Aunt Paige," she said, interrupting her youngest aunt, anticipating her protest, "actual demon attacks don't count as training!" she said firmly.

Paige and Piper exchanged a rather terrified look and Wyatt had to stifle a laugh. Once Talia got going, it was a little hard to get her to accept a 'no' for an answer. Wyatt had a very strong suspicion that if her powers ever failed her, Talia could, quite possibly, nag the demons to death instead! It was that very same talent for nagging, more than anything else, that had made Phoebe join them for yesterday's session. Talia drove herself and others very hard, in combat training. Wyatt couldn't help but notice that Phoebe had been suspiciously absent at today's session.

"Paige, could you call Phoebe down to breakfast?" Piper asked, hoping to change the subject and get her niece, temporarily at least, off her back about combat training.

"PHOEBE, BREAKFAST!!!" shouted the red-head at the top of her lungs.

Piper glared at her.

"That's not what I meant!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" called a disembodied voice from the living room.

"Let's not tell Mom about this morning's attack," said Talia quickly. "You know how she gets!"

Piper looked like she was about to protest, but that's when Phoebe walked into the room stiffly. Her face had an unusual pale pallor to it.

"Are you ok, Phoebs?" asked Piper, concern colouring her voice. "You don't look so good."

"I'm fine...considering my own daughter tried to kill me yesterday!" she growled, glaring at Talia.

Paige laughed.

"Talia was just telling us how you joined her and Wyatt for practice, yesterday."

"Still stiff, Aunt Phoebe?" teased Wyatt. "Now you know what I mean when I call Talia a slave driver!"

"Hey! I'm not that bad! And Mom, you held your own pretty well yesterday! I don't see how you can complain...!"

Phoebe sat down with a loud sigh.

"I'm not seventeen anymore, Talia. Thanks to our practice yesterday, I'm going to be stiff all-"

Phoebe's eyes widened as they caught a movement at the window.

"Why is there an owl at our window?"

Everyone at the breakfast table turned to see what Phoebe was looking at. There was indeed an owl at the window and it was tapping with its beak on the glass in a successful attempt to draw their attention, presumably so they would let it in.

"I think it wants to come inside," said Paige, having never lost the ability to state the obvious.

Piper rolled her eyes at her younger sister.

Talia wordlessly got up and opened the window. Without any preamble, the tawny coloured owl flew inside the kitchen. The owl deposited two letters on the table and landed gracefully on the back of Talia's chair.

And that's when Leo decided to orb in, only to find the three Charmed Ones, Wyatt and Talia, staring at the owl and the two letters.

"Ah, I see I'm too late."

"Too late for what, Leo...?" Piper asked her husband, immediately suspicious.

"For the post," he answered as if it were obvious.

"The wizarding world uses owl post to deliver their letters," supplied Talia.

"But we don't know anyone from the wizarding world, do we?" Piper said with a puzzled expression on her face.

"Well, we did help a few wizards a while back, remember?" Paige spoke.

"Yeah, but that was a long time ago. Who would need to send us anything by owl post, and what would they send us?" asked Phoebe.

"What's going on Leo?" asked Piper, narrowing her eyes in suspicion at her husband.

Leo looked uneasily at his wife, but refused to meet her gaze.

"I believe that these are addressed to Talia and Wyatt," he said instead.

The Haliwells all followed his eyes at the two letters lying in the middle of their kitchen table. The letters were clearly addressed to Talia Turner and Wyatt Haliwell of 1329 Prescott Street.

Leo handed the letters to the people they were meant for.

"To _me?" _asked Wyatt looking incredulous. "I don't know any people from the wizarding world."

"I do," said Talia quietly.

Everyone at the table turned to look at her in surprise.

"There are evil wizards as well as good wizards," she deadpanned, "and my father is the Source of All Evil, remember?"

Leo and the Halliwell sisters looked uncomfortable.

Talia didn't often volunteer information freely about her past life in the Underworld as Princess of All Evil, and they didn't often ask. She was one of them, and they loved and trusted her, but for the oldest members of the family, there was a rather distinct line between good and evil. And even though Talia's knowledge of the demonic world had proven invaluable in the past year, it was strange and disconcerting to think of one of their own, to have been so familiarly acquainted with the other side. Wyatt was the only one truly comfortable talking to Talia about her past. Consequentially, he was the one who knew most about her. The two cousins, with only a single year separating them in age, were as close as most siblings were.

Talia, used to her family's strange looks, paid them no heed. Instead, she glanced down at the letter in her hands.

"I know this crest, it looks familiar..." she said frowning.

"Well," said Wyatt with forced cheer, in an attempt to alleviate the awkwardness, "there's only one way to find out!" and he tore open his letter.

Talia offered the owl some of her maple-syrup-covered pancakes, before reaching for her letter, obviously familiar with the etiquette of owl post. The tawny owl looked at her with liquid brown eyes and Talia scratched its head absent-mindedly while reading her letter. Taking his queue from his cousin, Wyatt started reading his own letter.

_Dear Miss Turner_, she read, her eyes darting from one side of the page to the other.

Talia quickly skimmed the rest of the letter. Her growing excitement was evident to the three sisters watching intently. When she finally read the entire letter, she looked up and her eyes twinkled.

"Wyatt and I have been invited to attend Hogwarts this September!" she announced happily.

The Charmed Ones' faces remained blank.

"What's Hogwarts?" asked Phoebe.

She hated that even after years of being one of the world's most powerful witches, Talia still knew more about magic than she did! But it was Wyatt who answered his aunt's question having finished reading his own letter.

"It's a magic boarding school," he said, not knowing how to feel about it. He did feel slightly excited, but mostly surprised at receiving the letter.

"Not just any magic boarding school," screeched Talia, her eyes flaring in indignation. "It's the best school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world!" She abruptly seemed to calm down again and her eyes locked with her mother's. "It's in Britain," she added softly, apologetically.

"In Britain...?" Piper exclaimed. "You're not going to school in Britain!"

"Now honey..." started Leo in his lets-be-reasonable voice.

"No, Leo!"

"I completely agree!" said Phoebe quickly, avoiding her daughter. "It's too far and it's too dangerous!"

Talia turned pleading eyes on her mother.

"But Mom…! Hogwarts is supposed to be one of the safest places in the world!"

She turned to Leo for help. He didn't let her down.

"This is a fantastic learning opportunity Phoebe!

"And Talia's right. Hogwarts is considered to be one of the safest places for a young wizard or witch to be! Not only will Talia and Wyatt be receiving a top education in wizarding magic by some of the best professors in existence, but, by joining the wizarding world, and Hogwarts in particular, we have a unique opportunity here to confuse the demonic world. Demons don't have much contact with wizards, you see, and they'll literally lose track of the kids. If anything, Talia and Wyatt will be safer there, than here."

"No demonic attacks?" asked Wyatt looking up hopefully.

"They won't know where you are," confirmed Leo with a slight smile, seeing Piper and Phoebe wavering at the mention of their children's safety. "I know how bad things are, around here, lately. Attacks are happening every other day for goodness' sake! Talia and Wyatt could have been seriously injured in the basement this morning..."

"Wait! Hold it! What happened in the basement this morning?" asked Phoebe, immediately on alert.

Talia sighed in defeat and sat back down on her chair.

"Demon attack," said Wyatt with a grimace.

"_What??_" Phoebe screeched.

"The kids knew how you were going to react about it and that's why they didn't tell you immediately. And besides, they handled it perfectly well on their own," said Paige quickly, playing mediator.

Phoebe turned on her sister in disbelief.

"You knew about this? _And you didn't tell me???_"

"Talia and Wyatt only just told us, at breakfast," said Piper. "We didn't get a chance to."

Phoebe turned to face her older sister and was about to start on one of her infamous rants. These rants had become quite common since Talia entered their life and brought out Phoebe's maternal, protective streak. Fortunately for everybody else, Phoebe was interrupted by Leo, right on time.

"This is exactly what I'm talking about! Things are pretty intense right now and you all could use the break. What with Talia, the Underworld's most wanted, living here, that isn't going to happen anytime soon!"

Silence followed Leo's remark.

"Err... no offence Talia."

She smiled wryly up at him.

"None taken, Uncle Leo...we all know you were just stating facts."

Piper sighed.

"You make sense Leo. We know you do. It's just... Britain... and boarding school... When will we ever get to see them? It's a big deal, you know?"

Leo's eyes softened as they fell on his lovely wife.

"Of course it's a big deal, honey," he said, wrapping his arms around her from behind, crouching slightly to rest his head on her shoulder. "But we've talked about it up there," he said, pointing heavenwards, "and though, ultimately, it's Talia's and Wyatt's decision to make, we really think this is for the best. That's why I came to see you this morning."

"You knew Hogwarts was going to send us these letters?" asked Wyatt.

"How?" asked Paige, eager for an explanation.

"Headmaster Dumbledore alerted one of the whitelighters as to his intensions."

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity Mom, Aunt Piper. Not only will all of us get a bit of a breather on the demon attacks, but it's a unique opportunity to learn wizarding magic!" added Talia. "I've always wanted to learn wizarding magic..."

"Is wizarding magic very different than what we use?" asked Wyatt curiously.

Paige nodded.

"They use wands," she said, "to direct their magic. And they don't actually have specific powers like we do."

Talia looked at her quizzically, wondering how she knew so much about the wizarding world.

"We met up with some wizards, years ago, when Wyatt was too young to remember. They had a bit of a problem at the time and...they asked for our help," supplied Phoebe, answering her daughter's unspoken question.

"It's quite interesting to see the sheer amount of things they can do with their little sticks," added Paige thoughtfully.

Phoebe rolled her eyes.

"Mom, please just hear me out," Talia said, her voice resonating with determination, "I'm almost seventeen. Hogwarts is for witches and wizards between the ages of eleven and seventeen. It's my last chance to do this and no matter what Wyatt decides, I really want to go."

Phoebe approached her daughter and looked into the big, brown eyes that were so like her own. Deep down, she knew that her independent daughter would go ahead and do exactly what she wanted, despite any protests Phoebe might have. Yet, Talia made a show of asking her permission. _My permission must mean a lot to her_, Phoebe thought in a brief moment of understanding.

"Are you sure, sweetie? From what little I've seen of it years ago, the wizarding world is a very different place than what we're used to."

Talia smiled.

"I'm sure, Mom. I really want this."

Phoebe smiled back weakly, and nodded.

"Me too," said Wyatt from behind them.

"Wyatt..." Piper started, disengaging herself from her husband's embrace.

"No, Mom. I've made up my mind, and Dad said that it was my choice to make. Growing up, and until Talia came last year, I've never had anyone my own age to talk to about magic. I've had to lie to all my friends about who I really am and what I can do, ever since I was in kindergarten! Talia's right. Before today, I never even knew that there _was_ a different type of magic than Wiccan magic... I want to find out what else is out there! I want to go to magic school, even if it _is _in Britain!"

Piper smiled sadly.

"You never let me finish," she said. "I was going to say, that if you really want to go to this," she looked at his letter, "Hogwarts, then the least we can do is consider it."

Wyatt's eyes lit up.

"Hey, maybe you guys can orb and flame back here occasionally, so we can see you once in a while," suggested Paige.

"Maybe," agreed Leo, giving his wife another hug. "It'll have to depend on school rules."

"Don't worry, Mom," said Wyatt seriously, having to look down to look at his mother, "even if it is against school rules, I promise to orb in every once in a while to see you."

"Hey Aunt Piper," interrupted Talia, "you know how you said you wanted to check Hogwarts out? Well, here's your chance," she said pointing at the letter.

"What do you mean?" asked Piper.

Talia started reading part of her letter out loud, for everyone's benefit.

_"We feel the need to explain that, the reason you have not been invited to Hogwarts earlier in your education, as is customary, is the fact that you are a in fact a Wiccan witch and Hogwarts is of course, a wizarding school. We understand that this might cause a certain amount of reluctance on your part, to join the school. It is of the utmost importance to us, that we allay any concerns you might have regarding this._

_"It is true that Hogwarts has only recently decided to open its doors to Wiccan students. This does not mean however that we have not provided for the difference in magic of our two worlds. If you do decide to join us, tutoring in the magical arts will be required this summer to ensure that you reach the level of your fellow students in wizarding magic. We also understand that you might require more information regarding our world and our type of magic before you make your mind up. Kindly, be prepared to meet with the headmaster of the school, this afternoon at four, for tea. Professor Dumbledore will be sure to answer any questions that you may have. For any change in plans, kindly notify the school with the owl that has delivered this message. _

_"We would love to have you join witches of wizarding magic, and wizards of your age group, in September this year._

_Professor Minerva McGonagall_

_Vice-Headmistress_

_Hogwarts__School__ of Witchcraft and Wizardry"_

"Yeah, mine says pretty much the same thing," said Wyatt. He groaned. "Tutoring in the summer? We've only just finished with school and they want us to do _more_ studying?"

"Changing your mind?" asked Piper, trying, and failing, not to sound too hopeful.

Wyatt threw her an apologetic look.

"Sorry, Mom, I still want to do this," he grimaced, "studying in the summer or no studying in the summer. Besides," he added, having suddenly thought of something that caused his face to light up like a Christmas tree, "we'll be learning magic, so it won't be _real_ studying."

"Wyatt, magic can involve a lot of studying, you know," reprimanded Leo. "Hogwarts isn't exactly a ticket for an easy, alternative, free-from-work, year. There will be real work involved and you two have a lot of catching up to do in wand magic this summer."

"Oh," he said, and his face fell again.

Talia chuckled.

But Wyatt was one of life's rare, natural optimists, and nothing could keep him down for long.

"At least it'll be interesting," he said with a grin that seemed to widen with a new thought. "No more algebra!" he added punching the air.

"Wyatt!" chastised his mother. "Algebra's important."

"Oh yeah?" he challenged. "So you use it everyday, do you, Mom?"

Piper glared at him but said nothing.

"So, the headmaster's coming here for tea..." murmured Leo thoughtfully. "Professor Dumbledore has quite the reputation up there," said Leo, once again pointing to the ceiling and beyond. "He's more than a hundred years old, you know, and one of the wisest, most powerful wizards of our age. Apparently, years ago, he defeated a very powerful dark wizard and earned himself his first claim to fame."

"Just one evil wizard?" teased Paige, obviously unimpressed.

"Dumbledore's a very important man in the wizarding world," Leo said with a slight scowl.

Piper sighed in defeat then plastered a smile on her face that was so obviously faked, that it was painful to look at.

"And so, it appears that at four o'clock this afternoon," she said in a terrible, chipper, British accent, "Professor Dumbledore will be joining us for tea!"

"Don't do that!" said Phoebe, screwing up her face in disgust.

"Bad accent?" asked Piper, smiling sheepishly.

"Bad accent," confirmed Paige, sitting herself back at the table and focusing her attention on her neglected pancakes.


	3. Afternoon Tea

**A/N:** I realise that this took longer than usual, considering that I try to update roughly every week, but you have to admit, it's a monster of a chapter! I'm not apologising for the slight delay. The chapter was a b#&% to write! For a good crossover, I felt that I had to explain a few concepts the way I see them and that's what this is about. Dumbledore answers questions, and plans are made for the next few chapters. I had to take into account the fact that the Haliwells didn't know much about the wizarding world or Hogwarts.

We find out a little more about Talia here. **Ori** asked me in one of her reviews if Talia had a prophecy about her, the way Wyatt did. I'd never thought about it before, but it was too good an idea to resist and I've incorporated it in this chapter, so thank you **Ori**for that.

And some people cough **Mickis** cough asked if Talia's planning on letting Cole know of her attending Hogwarts. I'm not going to directly answer that, but please, think back to the kind of relationship Talia has with her father. The two of them have been known to break the rules and to step out of the roles the world has carved for them, before.

_Ernie: We. Would. Also. Like. To. Thank. **Mixer**. For. Being. The. First. One. To. Review. The. Last. Chapter. Only. Minutes. After. Its. Upload. __And.__ For.__ Making. Cinammon. Grin. With. His. Acute. Observation._

Enjoy the chapter everyone and, remember, your reviews make my day!

.

****

**Afternoon Tea**

"_We're going to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of Oz..._"

"I swear to God, Paige," Phoebe groaned, "if you sing that stupid little song just one more time..." she threatened.

"Okay, okay, sheesh! I can't help it! The stupid song's stuck in my head!"

The two sisters continued tidying up the living room. Admittedly, there wasn't much to do, and Phoebe resorted to simply fluffing out the couch pillows, while Paige just gazed out of the windows to the garden outside. After this morning's early events, a nervous excitement had settled over the Haliwell manor. The time for the day's most anticipated event was almost here, and the tension was palpable.

"We haven't seen a real wizard in a long time," said Paige breaking the silence. "And according to Leo this Professor Dumbledore's really powerful. I wonder what he's like..." she said, getting lost once again in her own thoughts.

Phoebe threw her a funny look and went about her business.

"Make yourself useful, would you Phoebs?" asked Piper walking into the room and the china cabinet. Opening the elegant glass-and-oak door, she started taking out Gram's best porcelain.

"What's with the good china?" asked Phoebe, moving over to help her sister and taking a delicate porcelain teapot from Piper.

"Well… this guy's pretty big in the wizarding world, right? And since Talia and Wyatt are determined to go to his school come hell or high water, I want us to make a good impression."

"I bet you he's got long, flowing white hair," said Paige dreamily, obviously still contemplating their guest's appearance.

Phoebe frowned.

"Why would you say that, Paige?"

"Well, in practically every movie and cartoon, wizards always have long, white flowing hair. Maybe a beard too...a ridiculously long beard that reaches up to his waist..."

Piper snorted.

"That's ridiculous Paige and you know it," she chided, setting out the good china on the low table in front of the couch. "In practically every movie and cartoon, a witch has long stringy hair, a hooked nose and warts. Does my hair look stringy to you?" she asked with amusement, pointing at her silky, hair.

"I guess not," mumbled Paige disappointedly. "          Well what do _you_ think he'll look like?"

The three sisters stayed silent for a while, contemplating Paige's question.

"Maybe he'll be tall, dark, handsome and mysterious," said Phoebe dreamily, "in his forties, and have dark hair with just a touch of silver. He'll have dark, intense eyes and he'll be dressed in a grey, business suit, wand tucked away safely in his pocket..."

"Sheesh!" exclaimed Paige.  "He's a school headmaster Phoebe, not the magical version of James Bond!"

"Looking for husband number three, are you Phoebs?" asked Piper amusedly. "And besides, you heard Leo, Professor Dumbledore is over a hundred years old, so he's definitely not in his forties!"

Phoebe looked slightly embarrassed at being caught daydreaming, and was rather uncomfortable at the mention of her previous marriages. Needless to say they hadn't worked out. She shouldn't have been so hard on herself really, considering that her first ex-husband had been a demon, and was now the Source of All Evil, and her second husband had been a mortal who, despite thinking that he could handle her life-style, had been proven wrong. To her credit, the moment she did, and after seeing her sister's expression, Piper felt bad for mentioning Phoebe's previous marriages. Fortunately, Paige seemed oblivious to the whole thing.

"Besides," she said, refusing to let go of her new, favorite topic, "you know very well Phoebe that wizards don't wear - what's that word they use to describe something non-magical? Muggle, that's it – muggle clothes. They wear robes. There's no chance that Professor Dumbledore would wear a business suit."

"Yeah, well, I thought that he might wear muggle clothes to look inconspicuous, you know?" a flustered Phoebe said weakly.

"Well, we'll know soon enough," said Piper looking at the grandfather clock that stood in the corner of the room. It read five to four. Professor Dumbledore - whatever he looked like - would be here soon.

"Talia, Wyatt," called Phoebe, "get in here! Professor Dumbledore should arrive any minute now."

Wyatt and Talia thundered down the stairs. Wyatt sniffed the air around them and his eyes landed hungrily on the plate of muffins his mother had spent most of the morning baking. He reached out for one, but his hand was slapped away, muffinless, by a glaring Piper.

"No you don't!" she said. "No one's touching those muffins until Professor Dumbledore gets here."

The two teens shared a look and sunk on the couch dejectedly, still staring hungrily at the muffins they weren't allowed to have.

"I'm not late am I?" asked Leo orbing in next to Piper.

"No," his wife said. "You're right on time."

He leant in for a brief kiss and Piper was perfectly happy to oblige.

"Ew!" exclaimed Wyatt in mock disgust.

"Yuck!" agreed Talia, taking up his queue.

"Not in front of the kids!" Wyatt protested further, covering his 'innocent' eyes with his hands.

"Our delicate, childish psyches will be traumatized forever!" continued Talia in a voice dripping with misery, placing a hand to her forehead dramatically.

Wyatt gave up on his act and stared at Talia instead.

"You know, you're a little bit scary when you've been reading too many books..." he said shifting slightly away from her on the couch.

Talia flashed a brief, wide grin.

"What? Did I use long and difficult words again, cousin?" she asked, feigning surprise and fluttering her eyelashes at him in mock innocence.

"It's not the long and difficult words I'm worried about," he explained, "it's the whole drama queen act," he stage-whispered conspiratorially. "Creepy!" he exclaimed, faking a shudder.

She hit him over the head with a couch pillow in retaliation.

The grandfather clock struck precisely four o'clock in the afternoon.

A loud crack filled the living room and, in their midst, suddenly stood a kindly-looking old man with - to Piper's incredulous look - predictably long, white, flowing hair and beard, and twinkling blue eyes behind a pair of half-moon shaped glasses. The wizard wore a set of light blue robes decorated with a curious assortment of darker blue stars and birds.

Paige sent Phoebe a triumphant I-told-you-so look. Phoebe rolled her eyes at her little sister's antics.

"Good afternoon," the wizard said, "I am Professor Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I believe you have been expecting me...?"

"Good afternoon Professor," said Leo offering his hand to the old man. "I'm Leo Wyatt. It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. Your reputation precedes you."

Professor Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled as he took the proffered hand in a warm handshake.

"As does yours, young man. There was that horrid affair with the Titans a few years ago...I must commend you on that. I heard that it was your quick thinking and reactions that saved the world as we know it. I believe that particular adventure earned you a seat in the Elder Council. It's an honor to meet an Elder."

Leo seemed flattered and Professor Dumbledore turned his attention to the others in the living room.

"And these lovely young ladies must be the Charmed Ones," he said, his eyes still twinkling.

"It's a pleasure to meet you professor," said Piper, offering her own hand in greeting. "I'm Piper Halliwell, and these are my sisters, Phoebe Halliwell and Paige Matthews."

The professor greeted each of the sisters separately and finally, his attention focused on the two teenagers who had stood up from the couch politely at the old wizard's entrance.

"Ah, and you two must be my, hopefully, newest students...?"

Talia offered her hand in greeting.

"Talia Turner, sir," she said. "It's a pleasure."

"The pleasure is all mine, I assure you," the professor said, his smile, if at all possible, widening further. "And you, young man, must be Wyatt Matthew Halliwell, am I correct?"

Wyatt smiled, nodded once, and shook the man's hand.

"Professor Dumbledore, please have a seat," said Piper, taking a seat of her own on the arm of the armchair Leo was already making himself comfortable in.

Professor Dumbledore obliged and the rest of the Halliwells followed suit.

"Would you like some tea, Professor?" asked Phoebe.

"Some tea would be lovely."

"How do you take your tea, sir? Sugar? Cream?"

"A spot of cream and five sugars, thank you."

Phoebe nearly raised an eyebrow at the request for so much sugar, but she stopped herself just on time and complied with the wizard's request.

The next few minutes were spent pouring tea for everyone and passing around the muffins.

"Professor Dumbledore, I must say, we were all rather surprised to see Talia's and Wyatt's letters arrive this morning," said Piper, refusing to stall any longer.

"I should imagine. Not many Wiccans have ever attended Hogwarts," he admitted. "That's why I'm here, of course. There must be a million questions you wish to ask me about the school and the wizarding world."

"Professor, you've just said that not many Wiccans have ever attended Hogwarts before," Talia furrowed her brow. "I wasn't aware that there was precedent for this," she said cautiously.

"Oh yes," the Headmaster's eyes were twinkling, "it has happened before. Of course, in every case, extra tutoring in wizarding magic and the wizarding world was required. Disappointed that you won't be the first Wiccan in Hogwarts, Miss Turner?"

"I think, reassured, would be a better word, Professor," clarified Phoebe looking at Talia for approval. Her daughter nodded. "We've set a lot of precedents in this family and we've found that, that's not always a good thing."

"Professor, in your letter, you've mentioned that Hogwarts has recently decided to open itself to Wiccan students. Will there be other Wiccan students there?" Paige asked.

"I'm afraid not Miss Matthews," said the Professor, turning in his seat to face the younger Charmed One. "This is an experimental program and Mr. Halliwell and Miss Turner will be the first Wiccans to go through Hogwarts in a rather long time." He turned towards Wyatt and Talia. "In fact I was hoping that we keep the fact of you two being Wiccans and your powers, a secret," he said with a conspiratorial wink. "Wiccans tend to be a bit of a sensation in our world and the last thing we would want is for the other students to be jealous of all the attention you two will be receiving. The professors will need to know that you are Wiccans of course, but I'd prefer being the only one at Hogwarts to know of your powers. "

"What exactly _do_ you know of our powers Professor?" asked Talia, cautiously once more.

"Your powers are quite legendary Miss Turner," he said with amusement. "Your cousin _is _of course the Twice Blessed Child and you, the Child of Two Worlds."

The Halliwells turned in unison to look at Talia.

"The Child of Two Worlds?" asked Wyatt with his eyebrow raised, voicing everybody's thoughts.

Talia seemed embarrassed with this revelation and refused to meet her family's eyes.

"What, you didn't think you were the only one with a prophecy of your own, did you Wyatt?"

"Why didn't you tell us Talia?" asked Phoebe.

Talia shrugged.

"No point," she said.

"You knew about this, didn't you?" asked Piper, turning an accusatory glare at her husband.

"Yeah," he admitted. "The other Elders told me when we first found out about Talia. I didn't think it was that important."

"Well, let's hear it. What's the prophecy?" asked Paige curiously.

"_A child forbidden shall be born, not of a woman. _

_Worlds will crumble, fall and merge, _

_The moment it takes its first breath.___

_Fight, Struggle and Strife shall be its cause, _

_Be it for right, or be it for wrong._

_That is the fate of the Child of Two Worlds_," Talia quoted easily, even though she hadn't thought about the prophecy since she came to live with the Halliwells.

"It doesn't sound like I'll be having much of an easy time, does it?" she asked rhetorically and with a grimace.

"It comes with being a Halliwell," said Piper, reaching out to touch Talia's shoulder in a comforting gesture, trying to console her niece.

In an attempt to remove the attention from herself, Talia turned to face Professor Dumbledore who, she noticed, had been observing the proceedings with interest.

"Professor, did you say that you would like to keep Wyatt's and my powers a secret even from the other Professors?"

"Yes," admitted Dumbledore. He smiled at them. "You two are quite famous in the magic worlds, be it Wizarding or Wiccan. We wouldn't want you to attract too much attention, would we?"

Wyatt and Talia shared a look then nodded in agreement. Wyatt sighed in resignation. It was nothing new. But Talia remained momentarily frowning at Dumbledore's peculiar request. Her brow soon smoothed out and it appeared to the others, if any of them had noticed, that she let pass, whatever had bothered her briefly.

Talia's previous lifestyle had taught her to always be suspicious of everyone and everything, but Wyatt often teased her that she was usually more paranoid than cautious. She decided to give the professor the benefit of the doubt, even if she got the succinct feeling that there was something he wasn't telling them. Besides, she was dying to go to Hogwarts and, as opposed to the rest of the Halliwells, she didn't mind a little adventure one bit! 'Fight, struggle and strife' was, after all, part of her prophecy and part of being a Halliwell. The last thing, she decided, she wanted, was for her mother to get suspicious herself, freak out, and forbid her go.

Talia sighed almost inaudibly.

Even if Phoebe forbade her to go, Talia would go anyway. But her relationship with her mother wasn't quite as strong as either of the two Halliwell women wanted it to be, and disobeying her mother's direct orders, would certainly hurt it further. They both tried of course, but despite her efforts, Phoebe often failed to understand her daughter, and Talia was the first to admit that she wasn't exactly the easiest person to get along with, even without the constant demon attacks her presence at the manor brought on. Talia would keep her suspicions about Dumbledore's motives to herself, she decided. She would just have to make sure that she went to Hogwarts with her eyes wide open, looking out for anything suspicious that would indicate adventure rearing its ugly head.

She focused her attention back to the conversation happening around her, hoping that she hadn't missed anything important during her private musings. She found a pair of twinkling blue eyes looking right back at her.

"What exactly do you mean by extra tutoring, Professor?" asked Wyatt.  "And, forgive me, but how different is wizarding magic from Wiccan magic?"

"If you do decide you want to join the school, and, I for one, very much hope that you do," Dumbledore specified, "then the extra tutoring you will require, will unfortunately take up most of your summer."

He smiled apologetically.

"Wizarding magic involves harnessing your inherent magical abilities and conducting them through a wand. Wiccans use their magical power in its rawest, most pure form, and that's without the individual powers each Wiccan has. That kind of magic is impossible for most of us wizards to do. You see, Wiccan spells invoke the raw powers of the earth and the world around them, while wizarding spells require the magical energy of a witch or wizard to be channelled through their wand, in order to come into effect. Wizards exhibit wandless magic mostly only at times of extreme intense emotion, and they usually have no way of control over that magic.

"Wizarding magic is relatively newer than Wiccan magic, but it's still thousands of years old. Wiccan magic is also a lot more intuitive than wizarding magic, which is why there are no Wiccan schools. Wizarding magic is very structured. Specific movements of the wand, accompanied by specific words, bring about specific results. For example," said the professor, taking out his wand. "_Wingardium__ Leviosa_," he said clearly, aiming his wand at one of the muffins on the plate.

The muffin, completely unaided, floated towards him, and into his outstretched hand.

"Show off," teased Paige, who had taken a liking to the smiling old man. "Muffin," she called and another muffin orbed from the plate, into her own hand.

Wyatt rolled his eyes.

"Now who's being a show off, Aunt Paige?" teased Talia.

Piper glared at the three youngest members of her family, but Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled watching the exchange.

"There's a lot more spells you can learn. From charms such as the one I just showed you, to jinxes and curses. But that's not all you can learn at Hogwarts. Classes include History of Magic, Arithmancy, Divination, Care of Magical Creatures, Defence against the Dart Arts, Ancient Runes, Potions... and these are only _some_ of the subjects you can study. You will of course be required to be proficient enough in whatever subject you choose, by September, so as to be in the same standard as the other pupils in your class."

Talia's eyes, literally, lit up.

"I've always wanted to study Ancient Runes..." she said.

"And what about Care of Magical creatures?" asked Wyatt eagerly. "Do we get to study dragons?"

For some strange reason, Wyatt had had quite the fixation on dragons ever since he was a baby.

The Headmaster chuckled.

"I'm not so sure about dragons. Although, to be honest, I wouldn't be surprised, knowing Hagrid, our Care of Magical Creatures professor," he seemed to lose himself in thought. "He did try smuggling a dragon to Hogwarts once, but that was against the rules and it had to be removed." His eyes focused back to an excited Wyatt. "But there are a lot more magical creatures you can study. An almost infinite amount."

Wyatt's eyes widened in admiration.

"I could've used some divination lessons myself," commented Phoebe to herself.

Professor Dumbledore looked at her questioningly.

"One of my powers is receiving premonitions from the past, present and future," she explained.

"A seer," said Dumbledore nodding in understanding.

"Phoebe's also an empath!" added Leo proudly. "Unless I'm mistaken, that's another branch of divination, isn't it?"

Professor Dumbledore did some more nodding.

Leo was very proud of all the Halliwells, despite their unconventional way of doing things, and he had defended them on too many occasions to count, to the other Elders. They were his family after all. And they had never let him down so far.

"I'll tell you this," said Phoebe with a grimace, answering the wizard's question that Leo had missed, "my powers are a real pain in the ass to control!"

"Potions sounds fun," added Piper next to him, wistfully. "What wouldn't I have given for a few proper lessons when we first found out we were witches," she said, sharing a look with Phoebe who seemed to agree.

A curious look passed in Dumbledore's ever-twinkling eyes at the mention of the words 'potions' and 'fun' in the same sentence, but only Leo noticed.

"And you guys will definitely be taking Defence Against the Dark Arts, right?" asked Paige. "If you ask me, I'd say that sounds like the most useful subject out of all of them.

A few nods succeeded that statement.

"I'll make sure to leave a list of all the subjects available, before I leave," Professor Dumbledore offered. "Now, is there anything else you would like to know about Hogwarts or the wizarding world? May I remind you that I came here so you could ask me questions," he chuckled.

"How do you propose the summer tutoring to take place, Professor?" asked Leo returning to a subject that seemed to have been abandoned for a while.

"Ah yes, of course. I was hoping that Wyatt and Talia spend time in Hogwarts over the summer. It would be easier for the tutoring to take place there. You see, some of the teachers choose to stay at the school over the holidays. I'm sure they will be more than happy to help them catch up with wand magic."

The Charmed Ones' and Leo's eyes moved to Talia and Wyatt. The cousins shared a look and nodded. In that moment it was clear to all that they had decided to go ahead with this, even if it meant sacrificing their entire summer to study wizarding magic. Their minds were made up and no one could change them.

"I thought we still had 'til September before the children had to go to Britain," said Piper sadly.

"I'm sorry, Ms Halliwell," Dumbledore said, and she could see he meant it, "but I honestly don't see any other way if they're going to be ready to join their classmates in September," he admitted.

"How long is 'some time', Professor?" asked Phoebe.

"It all depends on how quickly the children go through the curriculum, but I should say anywhere between one and two months. Maybe even more, but I doubt that. I have heard how magically gifted Talia and Wyatt are. It really would be of most benefit that the children's tutoring begins as soon as possible."

"Professor," spoke Talia, "you seem to know quite a bit about us. Are you familiar with the more...delicate matters of our family history?"

Dumbledore looked sombrely into dark eyes that begged for his approval.

"I can safely say that I know _all_ about your family history," he said. "As well as your _individual_ histories..." His eyes bore into her own trying to reassure the young girl. "You must understand Miss Turner, that I make it my business to research prospective students before I offer them a place at the school. That way, I know exactly what I'm getting into when they join the student body."

Wyatt smiled at the Headmaster. The boy was impressed with how the wizard had handled Talia's carefully worded question, reassuring her insecurities, and freely gave him his approval with a slight nod.

"Professor, this is no light matter. Trouble has a way of following us Haliwells," insisted Piper doggedly, determined to get this across. "We would hate to think that Wyatt and Talia's presence at the school put anyone else in danger. After all, not everyone is as adept at protecting themselves as Talia and Wyatt are."

"I assure you Ms Halliwell, Hogwarts and its grounds, as well as the nearby wizarding village of Hogsmeade, are under heavy magical protection. No demon or warlock will be able to sense Miss Turner's and Mr. Halliwell's presence there."

"They really won't?" asked Phoebe, even though Leo had already told them this morning.

She had spent so many years dodging warlocks and demons that she found it extremely difficult to believe that there was any place out there that was truly safe from them.

Professor Dumbledore shook his head.

"The wards in the area are too strong," he assured her.

"What's Hogwarts like, Professor?" asked Paige curiously.

"It's a huge, ancient castle," said Dumbledore proudly, "thousands of years old. Full of such beauty and mystery, that, even I, after so many years, cannot profess to know all its secrets. It was built before the witch persecutions, by the four greatest wizards of the time. It has extensive grounds and is situated on the borders of the largest magical forest in Britain. The grounds even include our own lake! It gets better. If any muggles happen along, all they see is an illusion of a derelict old castle, which is little more than ruins, surrounded by warning signs at how dangerous the structure is."

"Would we be allowed to visit, Professor?" asked Piper.

"Am I right in assuming that you are thinking of travelling by orbing or flaming to the school?" he asked, revealing how much he knew about them, once again.

"Will the wards allow that, Professor?" asked Leo, interestedly.

"I believe they will, Mr. Wyatt. Hogwarts is protected against most _wizarding _means of travel, for safety purposes, since the school is part of the wizarding world.

"But, magic can't be traced inside the Hogwarts wards, and the Wiccan and demonic worlds, don't really know of its existence, or can trace its location. And, in any case, there is very little contact between those two worlds and ours. There was just never any reason to protect against orbing, shimmering, or even flaming."

"So we can visit," said Phoebe in relief.

"I don't see why not. Although, of course, during term time, we would much rather that parents wouldn't."

"Will I be able to hear Wyatt or Talia if they call for me?" asked Leo.

"Oh yes. I don't think that will be a problem. Mr. Halliwell and Miss Turner are still your charges, you will be able to hear them and orb to them, even on school grounds. May I just caution that when you do, it be out of sight of the other students and teachers. We wouldn't want people to ask too many questions. Now, is there anything else you would like to know?"

"Err, Professor?" asked Talia tentatively, "If we're going to pretend we belong in the wizarding world, shouldn't we get ourselves a couple of wands? You wouldn't happen to know where we could get them from, would you?"

"Silly me!" exclaimed the Professor smiling sheepishly. "Of course you need wands, along with the rest of your school supplies. You have to go Diagon Alley for all that."

"Where?" asked Paige.

"Tell you what," continued Dumbledore, "I'll send Hagrid, that's the Care of Magical Creatures teacher I mentioned earlier," he explained, "to pick all of you up tomorrow morning and take you to Diagon Alley, where you can buy anything you need for Hogwarts."

Wyatt looked up in excitement at the mention of what, Talia was pretty sure, would turn out to be his favourite subject. It all depended on what this Hagrid was like.

"That would be great, Professor Dumbledore," Leo said. "Thank you."

"Wyatt and Talia can come to Hogwarts next Monday, if that's alright with you."

Talia and Wyatt shared another of those looks that left the grown-ups feeling extremely left out.

"That would be wonderful Professor!" she said smiling wildly and her eyes practically sparkled. "We can't wait!"

Professor Dumbledore smiled and got up off the couch.

"If that is all then," he said, "I'd better be going. A headmaster's life is a busy one, even during the summer holidays! And besides, I'm sure that you all would like to get back to whatever it was you were doing before I arrived." His eyes twinkled again as he got up from the couch. The Halliwells and Leo followed suit, politely

"Monday," muttered Piper sadly so that no one but Phoebe heard. "That's only a week away."

Everyone else was busy saying their goodbyes to the old wizard and no one saw Phoebe thread her arm through her big sister's.

"I know honey. But look at them," she said, gesturing to their children. Talia and Wyatt were positively glowing and Wyatt was gesturing wildly in his conversation with the headmaster. "They're really excited about this! And you know it makes sense."

Piper sighed.

"Yeah I know," she said, leaning her head against Phoebe's.

"Goodbye, everyone, and thank you for the tea!" the old man said, waving his goodbyes. "I believe I'll be seeing you, in a week's time," he said turning to Talia and Wyatt before disappearing from the Halliwells' living room with a polite crack.


	4. Memories of the Past, Glimpses of the Fu...

Erm… I know I hinted that I was going to update every week, but... what can I say? No matter how hard we try, life sometimes gets in the way of really important stuff, like fanfiction.

_Ernie: You. Should. Be. Ashamed. Of. Yourself. _

I am Ernie, trust me.

**Charmedfanatic3000: **Thank you. Thank Ori for the prophecy. Something she said got the wheels in my head turning again.

**Mcgirl****:** Thanks for the compliment. Not sure if I could have made it without reviewers like you.

**Frances****:** I'm glad you liked the explanations. The last chapter wasn't nearly as exciting as the others to come, but it had to be done for the sake of the story. Sorry for the delay, but here's your update.

**Winter Blaze:** Your vote of confidence goes a long way with me, thank you. Ori gave me the idea for the prophecy. Don't feel shy to give me ideas either. Some I might use, some I might not. Either way I appreciate all and any suggestions.

**Roby Murphy:** It might be a few chapters 'till Talia and Wyatt meet Harry, Ron and Hermione. They still have their summer tutoring at Hogwarts to get through, remember? But they will be meeting the Professors soon and, don't forget, the other Professors don't know nearly as much about them as Dumbledore did. As for Hagrid... well, read on and see for yourself.

**Bob-the-bear:** Well, this is Dumbledore we're talking about! Practically nothing's impossible for him. I'm sure he can make a crack sound polite. And as for the sugars in his tea... we all know how big a sweet tooth the headmaster has, don't we? Wands will be dealt with in the next chapter I'm afraid, but you'll be please to know that that part is already written and will be posted soon. Should be very interesting…

**Kim:** Thanks for your kind words. Hope this satisfies...

**Svata2004: **I'm sorry to say that the adults will not be coming to Hogwarts as teachers. That crossover has been done many times before and I'm going for a more original approach here. The focus will be on Talia and Wyatt and any friends they might make on the way (hint! hint!). Thank you for your review. Here's the next chapter for you!

**Sweetone41185: **I'm glad you liked the chapter. I just thought it was a little boring that's all. No one got their a$$ kicked. I hope this one's even better. I like to think that Paige is more open minded than the others. She doesn't rule anything out and that's what helped her catch up so quickly even after coming late in the craft. You will definitely see Cole's reaction to all this. It's not in this chapter but it will be soon, I promise. Enjoy reading!

**Lurkerjenny****: **I don't mind at all. I love writing and I wouldn't stop no matter how many reviews I get or don't get. Which is not to say that I don't appreciate them, or wait for them like a kid waits for Christmas morning! As long as I know that there are people out there that enjoy reading my stories, I'm happy to keep posting them. Thank you for the reviews you have sent. They did put a smile on my face! I'm happy you're enjoying the story, and I hope you continue to do so.

**Ori****: **I'm so glad you liked the definitions and interpretations of the two magical worlds. I felt that they were essential in the crossover, but I was so afraid that people would just be bored senseless.

And as for Talia... I'm really honoured by your compliment. You bet she's got issues! She's a chronic insomniac, don't you know. I've hinted at it before. She gets nasty nightmares. And yes, she is modern, but the magical worlds are based on tradition and she understands that. She's a very complex character and I'm glad that comes out. I think Talia and Wyatt will make a great team too! You must remember that this AU, before the entire Chris mess. Wyatt has spent the first fifteen years of his life without having anyone of his own age to share magic with. And Talia had a rather unusual and lonely childhood. I like to think that they make up for each other's weaknesses. Their closeness will play a key role in the story.

One question at a time, darling! Yes, Talia and Wyatt can go home whenever they feel like it. Strictly speaking, it's against school rules, but who's going to stop them from flaming or orbing out of there? And their martial arts training is an integral part of their lifestyle, so of course they'll keep doing it. They might even find someone else to join them too (hint! hint!). But I'm not giving out any more info, you'll have to read the rest of the chapters to find out

**Barb6: ** I'm not going to say much other than I've bits and pieces of the next few chapters already written out and they should be very exciting. I'm glad the explanations helped. The wizard stuff will be important.

**Charmedchick11: ** I'm glad you think so. I've seen Charmed/Harry Potter crossovers done before and it just gets me how the characters jump from one world to the other with no explanations or introductions into the different world. I'm hoping to make it more realistic. Well, as realistic as the combination of two magical worlds could be.

.

Thanks go to **Nightcrawler** for being officially back in business. He was kind to beta this chapter and as always save me from probably too many grammar mistakes to count.

Enjoy!

. ****

**Memories of the Past, Glimpses of the Future**

Talia walked downstairs, towel-drying her hair after her shower. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, she came to a stop. She looked at the dark, wet tendrils, lost in thought for a while. Her hair had been long once, she remembered.

Her father had liked it long.

When she was little, she would lean her head on his shoulder, her hair spilling across his chest, and they would take turns reading out loud from musty tomes and old poetry books. And then, he would thread his calloused fingers through his little girl's long hair in a loving gesture that soothed them both and chased away their nightmares. She hadn't had the heart to deprive either of them of that rare pleasure – or its memory – and so, she had continued to wear her hair long even after she left the Underworld...until a few months ago.

Talia had duelled one of the most powerful demons around, a man called Perdicus. At the time, Perdicus had been a member of the Evil Council and had had aspirations to replace Cole in the position of the Source. He had been a master swordsman with hundreds of years of experience. One tiny moment of carelessness was all the demon had required, to have her at sword point. Her hand went to her throat at the memory. If it hadn't been for Talia's quick reflexes, the harsh blade would have cut through her neck, not her hair. Her hand once again went to the wet strands that now, finally, months later, barely reached her shoulders. Perhaps she didn't mind losing it to Perdicus' blade after all, if it meant getting to keep her life.

It had been Cole that had incinerated Perdicus in her defence, she remembered.

Even when she had lived in the Underworld with him, the occasions when the two of them were free to show their affection for one another, with no audience to judge them, or take notes on how to use them against each other, had been few. But they had been close, and they understood each other in a way that needed no words to describe.

Gods, she missed him!

That terrible night that Perdicus nearly killed her, still haunted Talia. Yes, she had survived, but at what cost? She thought back to a pair of grey eyes that darkened with desire every time they saw her. She smiled mirthlessly, and bitter regret coloured her regal features. What was one more nightmare to add to her dark collection? What was one more face to add to her bloody past? Talia didn't know if what she had felt for Valdis was love, she hadn't had anything else to compare it by, but whatever the feeling was, it had certainly been powerful. She would've liked for them to have had the time to find out. But things rarely turn out the way we want them to, and she had had to watch him give his life, to save hers.

A sigh parted her lips and, almost immediately, she chastised herself for allowing her mind to guide her to a past best left forgotten. There were plenty of things to think about today, without adding past regrets to them. She turned her mind to happier thoughts.

Today they would have another wizard dropping by.

Hagrid, the Care of Magical Creatures Professor at Hogwarts. That's all Professor Dumbledore had really said about him, but Wyatt was beside himself with excitement. He couldn't wait to learn more about magical creatures, or the wizarding world for that matter! Talia smiled. She had a bit of a weak spot for her cousin, and besides, Wyatt wasn't the only one to be excited about today.

Hagrid was supposed to take them to a place Dumbledore had called Diagon Alley. Wyatt and Talia would be able to buy their school supplies from there, including their very own wands. Talia couldn't wait! She liked living with the Haliwells in the 'normal' world, but she had been raised in an all-magic environment, and she missed the excitement of it all. She'd heard of Diagon Alley before, from her father and several wizards in her father's service. She couldn't wait to see it all for herself!

"Penny for your thoughts," said a soft voice from behind her.

Talia turned with a smile to face her mother.

"I'm just thinking about the wizarding world and what this Professor Hagrid will be like," she said.

"Did Professor Dumbledore say what time Professor Hagrid would be here?"

"Some time in the morning," Talia said with a shrug. "He didn't specify the exact time."

Phoebe broke into a grin.

"I must admit, I'm pretty excited about seeing a bit more of the wizarding world."

Talia grinned in return.

"I think everyone is. Wyatt wouldn't shut up about it all throughout this morning's training. I had to threaten him with a gag for us to get any work done!"

Phoebe's smile widened, but she soon turned serious.

"Will you be alright, Tal?" she asked.

Talia opened her mouth to protest, but her mother beat her to it.

"I know you're perfectly capable to protect yourself, sweetie. You're a smart kid, and you know your way when it comes to magic better than any of us, it's just that...well, anything could happen, and we'd be so far away from each other..."  She stared intently into her daughter's eyes, so similar to her own. "You and I, we've had a lot of time that should have been ours, taken from us," she paused to tenderly brush a wet tendril behind her daughter's ear, "just when I'm really getting to know you, I feel like I'm losing you all over again."

Talia smiled softly.

"Mom, it's not going to be like that. I'll only be a flame away."

Her eyes spoke volumes to Phoebe's heart, trying to reassure her. Like Cole, Talia said more with her eyes on those few occasions she allowed her guard to drop, than she ever did with her lips.

"You're your father's daughter, you know," Phoebe couldn't stop herself from commenting with a slight smile. "So strong, so independent... Promise me you'll take care? And that you'll visit once in a while?"

Talia's smile returned and widened. Growing up, she had always wondered what it would be like to have a mother. She loved her father dearly, but of her mother she had known almost nothing but her name, and the fact that she was a Charmed One, until last year when she had shown up on the Halliwells' doorstep and changed their world forever. She could have done a lot worse, she thought.

"I promise."

It didn't mean that she missed Cole any less. But that was her fate, wasn't it? A Child of Two Worlds, the prophecy had called her. When she had chosen the Light over the Darkness, she had had to make sacrifices, and losing her father, was the greatest of them all.

But the tender moment between mother and daughter didn't last long. A scream echoed throughout the house. It pounded off the walls and filled every room.

Phoebe and Talia looked at each other in alarm. That had been Piper's voice, and the scream came from the kitchen. Mother and daughter were already running towards the commotion. They entered the room in time to see Paige and Wyatt orb in. But that was not what held their attention.

In the middle of the room, standing over the remains of the broken kitchen table, stood the biggest man any of them had ever seen. His hair was a tangled mess and rivalled his unkempt, messy beard. He was dressed in some kind of brown, hairy suit. He seemed awfully distressed, trying to duck Piper's frying-pan-carrying, swinging arm.

"'I didn't mean nothin' by it! Honest!" he barely managed to duck out of the way from another potentially painful frying pan swing. "I jus' missed when appratin' tha's all!"

Talia had to stifle a laugh. The scene was rather comic. The huge man wasn't even really trying to protect himself from the vicious advances of her tiny aunt.

"Dumbledore said it'd be alrigh'!"

And there he had said it; the magic word: Dumbledore. Piper's swinging stopped and she stared at him in disbelief.

"You're Hagrid?!" she screeched.

Hagrid rubbed his shoulder where he'd been hit by Piper's frying pan when he hadn't been able to avoid a particularly well-aimed swing.

"Aye, that's wha' I was tryin' teh tell yeh! Dumbledore described the place teh me, so I could apparate 'ere, bu' I must'ave missed an' 'it the table 'stead. I'm real sorry 'bout that, but yeh didn't 'ave teh start 'ittin'!"

"What?" a confused Paige asked, not understanding a word of what the big man was saying.

Talia could barely contain her laughter. Wyatt gave up trying any such thing and he had to actually clutch a hand to his mouth to prevent the sounds of muffled laughter that occasionally, despite his efforts, managed to escape from behind his palm.

"Apparation is a magical way of travelling that wizards use. It's a bit like orbing without all the fancy lights. Professor Hagrid landed on the table by mistake," Talia explained, her mind quickly processing the big man's thick brogue. "It was an accident."

Hagrid nodded emphatically, still rubbing his shoulder.

Piper looked sheepish.

"I'm really sorry, Professor," she said, smiling apologetically. "I mistook you for a demon. We get a lot of those around here you know."

"'S alrigh'," Hagrid said, but he was still eyeing the frying pan in her hands, suspiciously.

A strangled sound escaped Wyatt as he followed the big man's eyes to his mother's hands. Tears of merriment trickled down his cheeks and Talia studiously avoided looking at her cousin for fear that she too would burst out laughing. Piper, with a final apologetic smile, put the frying pan down on the kitchen counter. Once again the big man's eyes followed her gestures involving the frying pan, warily.

"You know, you're pretty lucky she didn't blow you up," said Paige grinning.

"Blow me up?!" asked Hagrid in disbelief.

"Professor Dumbledore told you we're Wiccans, right? One of Piper's powers is the ability to blow things up," explained Phoebe. "She can also freeze objects and people. Something about molecules and their movements...I don't quite understand how it works, myself."

Hagrid was still staring at Piper. Piper was feeling uncomfortable under his scrutiny.

"For defensive purposes only, of course," she felt the need to specify.

"Yeah, 'course," Hagrid said, seemingly snapping out of it. He still seemed to shift uncomfortably away from Piper.

"Hello, Professor Hagrid, I'm Wyatt," said the blond boy, judging it to be a good time for introductions and extending his hand in greeting. "Professor Dumbledore told us you're the Care of Magical Creatures Professor. Did you really have a dragon for a pet once?"

Hagrid took in the boy's sparkling, excited eyes and his own eyes immediately softened.

"Yeah, I did. 'is name was Norbet. They wouldn't let me keep 'im. Ministry wanted to gimme a fine for bringing 'im on school grounds, but Dumbledore wouldn't 'ear it. Great man Dumbledore! You like dragons?"

"I haven't actually met any," Wyatt admitted, "that I can remember," he supplied quickly, seeing Paige's amused expression. "But they've always really fascinated me."

"Hello, Professor," said Talia. "I'm Talia Turner, Wyatt's cousin. And this is my mother, Phoebe Halliwell, and my aunts, Piper Halliwell, Wyatt's mother, and Paige Matthews," she introduced. "Don't worry about the table. It's not the first time it broke," she added, thinking back to a little more than a week ago when, during a demon attack, she had, rather overenthusiastically, thrown a demon on the aforementioned table in the middle of the fight. It had been a miracle the carpenter had actually managed to put it together again. They'd only gotten it back the day before yesterday. It was no wonder Piper had been so mad to see it broken again.

Hagrid grinned.

"Yeah, well, lemme fix it. 's the least I can do," he said ruefully. And with that, he pulled a wand out, pointed it at the remnants of the broken kitchen table and muttered "_Reparo_." Faster than any of the Halliwells could blink, the table was standing in the middle of the kitchen, completely fixed, as if it had never been broken in the first place.

"Wow! Thanks!" gushed Phoebe.

"That was really good!" praised Paige.

"Think you can teach that trick to Wyatt and Talia?" asked Piper, looking at the table appreciatively. "It costs us a fortune to fix all the furniture that gets broken after each demon attack."

Hagrid's grin widened.

"Sure," he said. "'s a firs' year charm! Now, s'everybody ready teh go teh Diagon Alley? Dumbledore said yeh had yer own way of travelling..."

"We do," said Wyatt smiling. "Just a second though. I think my dad wants to join us." And with that, Wyatt drew a big breath and, facing the ceiling, called out, "Dad!"

It only took a few seconds for Leo to appear in a swirl of white lightS.

"Hey, is Professor Hagrid here yet?" he asked, before his eyes took in a surprised looking man, of rather large proportions, standing in the middle of the Halliwells' kitchen. His eyes travelled from Hagrid's feet, all the way up to his bushy, unkempt hair. The Professor was a good three feet taller than him and a great deal wider. Hagrid was obviously not what Leo had been expecting, but he hid it well with a smile.

"Hello Professor. I'm Leo Wyatt, Wyatt's father."

"Hello sir," Hagrid said in his booming voice.

"Well, if everyone's ready..." said Leo, turning to face the rest of his family, "Professor Hagrid here, can show us the way to Diagon Alley."

"Just give me a second, Uncle Leo!" shouted Talia indicating her wet hair. "I need a few minutes to get ready."

"Me too, Leo," called Phoebe already exiting the kitchen.

Even Paige and Piper bailed out to get ready. Wyatt rolled his eyes.

"Oh boy!" he said, behind the girls' retreating backs. "I hate it when they do that! Who knows how long they'll take!"

In all fairness, it only took the girls twenty minutes to get themselves ready for Diagon Alley and, despite Talia's obvious distaste for her wet ponytail, they finally made it downstairs to an annoyed Wyatt, a rather amused Leo and a bemused Hagrid. Following the wizard's instructions, Leo took hold of Piper, Paige of Phoebe, and they all orbed, apparated or, in Talia's case, flamed, to the entrance of the Leaky Cauldron in central London.

"It's a bar!" exclaimed Wyatt, obviously disappointed.

"We're in Britain now," corrected Talia, "it's not a bar, it's a pub."

Hagrid grinned.

"Le's go inside," he said, beckoning them forward.

The Halliwells shared a number of confused looks, but followed him in without protest. Were they going to buy all their school supplies from some pub?

"Hey Hagrid!" called the barman jovially the moment they entered the pub's dark interior, "long time no see."

"Hello, Tom. 's been a while, 'asn't it?"

"Who have you got there then?" asked Tom.

"Two new students for 'ogwarts an' their family," Hagrid supplied. "Am s'posed teh take them fer their school thin's."

"It's a little bit early for that, isn't it?" asked Tom curiously. "School's only closed last week."

Hagrid shrugged, while behind him, the Halliwells gave Tom what, they hoped, were nice and friendly smiles.

Talia had scanned the room automatically upon their entrance. She couldn't help noticing a number of rather suspicious characters sitting at the tables, quietly drinking funny concoctions out of their mugs. It was clear to her that they were all witches and wizards. Their robes gave them away. Sneaking a look at the rest of her family, she realised from their wide-eyed looks that she hadn't been the only one to notice. They themselves, were the recipients of some rather strange looks due to, Talia assumed, their wearing muggle clothing. She turned back to Hagrid's conversation with the barman, just in time to hear Piper ask him if this was Diagon Alley.

Tom laughed and Hagrid smiled kindly.

"Nope," he said, his eyes crinkling in amusement. "The _Leaky Cauldron_ is only the entrance to Diagon Alley. Everybody knows that! Show them, Hagrid," he said, pointing at a wall a few feet away from him.

Hagrid took out his wand and tapped with it, a pattern on the wall's bricks. As a result, before the Halliwells' surprised eyes, the wall slid back to reveal, as promised, the entrance to Diagon Alley.

"Follow me," said Hagrid grinning and stepping out into the Alley.

And the Halliwell's did just that, their eyes a study in excited fascination. Talia was the last one to go. She turned back to the friendly barman with a smile at the last minute.

"Thank you for your help, Mr Tom," she said politely.

Tom's smile widened.

"Just call me Tom, luv, just call me Tom."

And with that, Talia crossed over to Diagon Alley.


	5. The Dark Side's Call

**A/N:** Right. I'm not going to apologise for the delay in putting this chapter up. I've started my summer job in a rather prestigious accounting firm (if I do say so myself! – it's excellent for my CV!) and time has been in large demand. Don't ever think that I've given up on this story. I intend to finish it. Although, admittedly, like its prequel, it might take me the better part of a year. I have, you'll be pleased to know, been diligently working on the next few chapters, so they shouldn't be this long in coming. Other than that, I'd also like to blame Ernie for the delay.

_Ernie: That's. Not. Fair._

Did you, or did you not, deny me internet access for the better part of a week?

_Ernie:..._

Point proven.

Hagrid didn't help. I hated writing him. Don't get me wrong, he's a wonderful character, but his accent really is dreadful to get on paper. Or computer screen.

I'm assuming that the lack of greatly appreciated reviews was due to the untimely technical problems of our beloved It just makes all those wonderful people that did review, all the more special.

**Winter Blaze:** I was wondering if someone would ask me that. Yes, Tom Riddle and Voldemort (I'll let you work that one out for yourself!) will be in this story. This is an Action/Adventure and it's not in Talia and Wyatt's style to be left out of any of the action that's going to be happening at Hogwarts. That's precisely why Dumbledore invited them to attend in the first place, isn't it? But good ole Voldie isn't Talia's or Wyatt's problem. He's Harry's. And that's all I'm willing to say on that subject.

**Charmedfanatic3000:** Oh, dear! I hope you're not too mad at me, Alex, for making you wait so long for this chapter…! Forgive me? It's very flattering to hear how impatient you are to find out what happens next in this story. I promise you, you'll only have a few more days to wait for the next chapter. It's finished and only needs the final touches to it before I upload it.

**Mcgirl****:** I'm glad you like the previous chapter and I hope you like this one just as much. Talia's past is important, because it's made her into the character we all know and love (I hope!). There's a bit more insight into her in this chapter.

**Songwithoutwordz****:** I love your name! And thank you for your flattering words. If you stick with this story, I promise you, I'll do my best to take you on one hell f a ride! Harry and the gang are in their seventh year, same as Talia, while Ginny is, of course, in her sixth, like Wyatt. As for 'romantic entanglements', you didn't really think I'd give that away, did you?

**Ori****: **I honestly didn't think I could blush. And then I read your latest review. Wow! If at any time I feel down, all I have to do is read it all over again to cheer me up! And for that, I can only be really, really, grateful.

I can't believe you read the last chapter four times! I honestly didn't think it was that good. I'm so glad you don't think that Talia's a Mary Sue. I'd stop writing if I ever thought that she was turning into one. Talia is fallible. She is not perfect. She is stubborn, arrogant, can be spiteful, vengeful, and she has definitely done a lot of things she regrets. There's nothing that gets me quite like a Mary Sue! Kindly note that Talia's eyes don't change colours dramatically and that her hair is neither purple nor blue, pink, green, fuchsia, or some other weird colour that is, in anything other than unoriginal fanfic, impossible to achieve without the help of a schizophrenic hair dresser! If that doesn't prove that she's not a Mary Sue then I don't know what will!

Valdis was important in Talia's development as a character. She doesn't know if what she felt for him was love (having had time to think it over after everything that happened, made her realise that she hadn't had a real chance to find out, nor had she had any previous experience to measure her feelings for him against), but he touched her in a way that no man had ever done before. Turning good brought her more in touch with her human side and made her vulnerable to human emotions (like love) in a way that she had never been before. It's terribly difficult to forget something like that.

**Ruby Murphy **& **Svata2004:** Thanks for reviewing, you two. I don't know what I would have done without your unwavering support these past few months, both for _Talia_ and for this fic. You really make writing that much more enjoyable.

**Barb6: **I'm glad I could be of service, darling. Helping to educate people in any way, even if it is in Harry Potter, makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. And if I can make you crack a smile with a frying-pan-attacking-Piper then I can call my life complete! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

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Thanks again to **Nightcrawler8** for his beta-ing and his personal support of my writing. If it wasn't for his gentle push of are-you-still-alive-out-there?-Please-email me-By-the-way-have-you-written-the-next-chapter-yet, this chapter might have, in all honesty, taken even longer to reach your doorstep.

_Ernie: Cause. He's. Simply. The. Best._

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May I be allowed one little tiny bit of self-promotion before I let you get on with reading the chapter?

I've written a D/Hr one shot (Harry Potter fic – Draco / Hermione pairing for those Charmed fans reading this) that only received two reviews. I like to think that that was due to the above mentioned technical difficulties of Would you be so kind as to read and review it? It's called **Note on the Pillow** and I'm rather proud of it despite the lack of reviews.

Right. I'll let you get on with the story now.

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**The Dark Side's Call**

"Wow! Just look at this place!" an awestruck Paige said enthusiastically.

"It's like a different world!" exclaimed Wyatt.

"It _is_ a different world," said Talia, eyeing with interest everything around her.

She felt like a kid in a candy store. They were the only people in the entire Alley dressed in normal – Talia was already starting to think of it as, muggle – clothing, and as such, passer-bys cast them strange looks. They were surrounded by all sorts of shops with fascinating, strange, window displays that beckoned shoppers and sought to entice them with their magical merchandise. Overall, there was little doubt that they were in the middle of a busy, magical, marketplace. The Halliwells were in awe.

Even Leo looked utterly delighted at the sight before him. Most wizards and wizarding witches, didn't have whitelighters. They didn't need to, considering that, unlike Wiccans, they rarely got into trouble that required them to. It was, therefore, Leo's first time in Diagon Alley too, and he, like the others, revelled in the novelty of it all.

"Righ'," announced Hagrid, "We 'ave teh get teh Gringotts firs'."

"Gringotts?" asked Phoebe.

"The Wizarding bank," explained Leo. "Unless I'm mistaken, the other Elders have managed to open Wyatt and Talia an account there.

"You mean we actually get money for this?" asked Paige, eyes wide in surprise.

"Something about improving wizarding-wiccan relations," said Leo vaguely, while Talia and Wyatt exchanged a happy look.

"Is it true that Gringotts is run by goblins?" asked Talia. She faked disinterest, but Wyatt knew that she was just as excited to be there as he was.

"Shrewd little blighters," supplied Hagrid, nodding.

"Wow! Do we get to see them?" asked Wyatt.

"You can come along if you want," offered Leo. "Like Professor Hagrid said, we have to go to the bank anyway. How else are we going to pick up some wizarding currency?"

Wyatt seemed delighted at the prospect. He turned to look at his cousin, but for once, she didn't seem to share his excitement and somehow, he knew that she wasn't faking it this time. Something else had drawn her fickle attention. He threw her a quizzical look and followed her eyes to a narrow alley that branched off from the main road. A shadow seemed to hang over what little, the Halliwell boy could see, of the narrow street. He looked back at Talia. Her expression betrayed nothing. She had her poker face on and Wyatt knew that spelled trouble.

"Tal?"

She ignored him still looking at the dark alley in the distance. The grown-ups were happily talking over their heads, completely oblivious to Talia's change of mood. Yet when Talia finally talked, it was Hagrid she addressed.

"Professor Hagrid? What's that?"

She pointed at the alley. Hagrid frowned.

"Yeh don' wanna go there Miss Turner.  Not all wizards are good, yeh know, an' Knockturn Alley ain't a nice place fer a nice young lady such as yerself."

A number of amused looks were exchanged behind Hagrid's back.

She said nothing for a while, letting conversation happen around her, pondering the mysterious way the place that, Hagrid had called Knockturn Alley, seemed to call to her, its siren's song warming her blood.

Poor Wyatt had to settle for looking at her with concern, unable to feel anything more than the stench of dark magic emanating from the place that so fascinated his cousin. Only he and Cole knew of the lure the darkness still held for the reformed Phoenix. She was Princess of All Evil for the largest part of her life and that was something that couldn't be ignored, no matter how much the Charmed Ones and his father tried. What he was seeing worried him. He knew that her getting involved with dark magic would only get her in trouble. In less than a year, Talia had become the sister he never had, but always wanted. He would do anything to protect her.

But even he realised that that thought was slightly ridiculous. Talia was perfectly capable of protecting herself.

"Uncle Leo, would it be ok if I didn't come with you to the bank?" she asked, taking her eyes off the place that beckoned her like a beacon in the darkness.

The grown-ups stopped talking.

"Are you _sure_ you don't want to come, Talia?" Leo cautiously asked.

Talia plastered on a fake smile for Hagrid's benefit. She knew the Haliwells and Leo realised something was up.

"There're so many things to see out here!" she said, her voice ringing with youthful excitement. "I can't wait to look around at some of these shops!"

They could hardly deny her that.

"Well if you insist..." started Phoebe.

"I do," said Talia. "I've seen goblins before you know. I'll just meet you outside the bank in twenty minutes. It shouldn't take you much longer than that."

Wyatt locked eyes with her.

"Do you want me to come with you, Tal?"

Talia smiled sweetly.

"Don't be silly, Wyatt," she said light-heartedly. "I'll be fine by myself. Besides, I know you're just dying to see the bank! I've heard a lot about it. Gringotts is meant to be quite the ride!" she said, winking at Hagrid.

The big man smiled, catching her meaning. The smile was caught in his bushy beard and completely missed by the rest of the group. The brown-eyed beauty had definitely heard of Gringotts before! Funny how she seemed to know more about the wizarding world than the rest of her family...

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Talia waited until her family disappeared behind the silver doors of the imposing building, before turning towards the alley that had caught her attention. Her eyes became colder and more calculating with every determined step. She could feel the dark magic that surrounded the place, call to her. She stood at the entrance of the alley, partly deciding whether she should enter, partly absorbing the atmosphere she once used to wear like a second skin. She could feel the dark power wrap around her and was unable to resist the urge of being with her kind once again.

She stepped forward.

Further and further into Knockturn Alley Talia walked. She didn't need to closely examine the rare, dark, merchandise, of questionable origins, that were displayed in the dark shops and filthy stalls, to identify them and their uses. Xander had taught her all about them before she could read and write and she had been to plenty of demon marketplaces before. She smiled at the familiarity of it all.

Hagrid had said something earlier about not all wizards being good. If there had ever been any doubts as to the existence of dark wizards, those doubts would have dissipated here. The people who frequented Knockturn Alley could be described by many words; however, 'good'wasn't one of them. No one knew this better than the Princess of the Underworld. In fact, she could probably teach Hagrid a few things on the subject.

She snuck veiled looks at the passers by. She mentally classified them into two categories. There were your run-of-the-mill dark wizards dressed in little more than sinister-looking rags. They were filthy and they smelled. She delicately wrinkled her nose in distaste. They shuffled around and cast suspicious looks at their fellows. They actually tried to look more evil than they were! Those were the small fry, Talia knew. She didn't worry about them. She could take them all on, any time, any place. With one hand tied behind her back. Blindfolded.

The second group of people one found at Knockturn Alley, was very different. They didn't shuffle when they walked. They practically swaggered. They had eyes filled with ill-concealed malice, pride, ambition, and there was an almost visible aura about them of – the part of her that was Princess of the Underworld shivered in delight – dark power. They wore billowing cloaks of varied elegance, and despite their apparent confidence, they often had their hoods up. Those were the people that had something to lose if their...affinities and loyalties...were recognised by the world outside the alley. Those were the people behind the power plays and dark schemes in the outside world. Those were the people with real power, the ones that were successful at being bad. Those were the people to watch out for, the people only a fool would challenge.

She had been one of them in the past. Part of her still was.

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She caught the eye of a man examining jewelled daggers at one of the stalls across from her. He definitely belonged in the second category of dark wizards. He was an older man. A very good looking, elegantly dressed man, with long, blond, almost white, hair, and a cruel edge to him. There was something about him… His eyes were gunmetal grey and she fought the urge to shiver at his scrutiny. Thrill and excitement made her blood boil as his eyes trailed all the way up her body, taking in her youthful curves. His lips turned slightly upwards. He was obviously pleased with what he saw and she couldn't help but feel slightly flattered.

His eyes indicated the jewelled dagger, laden with emeralds, in his hand, before focusing back on her. A platinum eyebrow rose in question. _What did she think of it? _

Talia shook her head. The dagger was all show. The blade was shiny, but not quite sharp enough for her high standards.

His smirk widened. He picked up another dagger. This one was simpler and more lethal looking. The blade was a marvel and Talia itched to try its weight in her hand. There was but a single tear-shaped ruby adorning its hilt. She nodded in approval.

His eyes glittered in appreciation of her choice. He was clearly intrigued and Talia could see him beginning to walk towards her. That action shook her out of her reverie. She took advantage of a throng of people that seemed to appear out of no where to walk between them, and she disappeared from his sight.

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Lucius Malfoy blinked in mild surprise. The young girl that had caught his attention was gone.

There was something strange about her... She seemed terribly sure of herself for someone so young; for someone walking in Knockturn Alley alone.

Not to mention that she had been wearing muggle clothes.

He grimaced in distaste. If asked a few minutes ago whether he thought that anyone would ever dare to walk into Knockturn Alley wearing muggle clothes, he'd have laughed 'till his sides hurt. But she had done it. And no one had dared to challenge her. She should have been dead the moment she stepped foot in the place. She definitely shouldn't have managed to get as further down in the alley as she had done.

She knew her daggers too. Her choice had been an excellent one. Light and well-balanced, the dagger had a deadly blade and was just as beautiful in its simplicity as the previous dagger he had examined was in its opulence.

Who was she? Lucius was no fool. There had been an aura of power around her. And Lucius knew power when he saw it. Most people that frequented Knockturn Alley recognised it. One wouldn't survive long in a place such as this, if they didn't. Lucius Malfoy knew that it was that powerful air about her that had kept the young girl safe in the dangerous streets, despite her wearing those horrible muggle clothes.

It really was a pity she had disappeared so quickly. He'd have liked to talk to her.

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Talia's earlier encounter with such an obviously powerful dark wizard had shaken her up. It wasn't his reaction to her that troubled her. It was her own reaction she worried about. She felt attracted to him. Attracted to the seductive darkness he represented. Part of her had wanted to stay and meet him. The Phoenix within her had been intrigued.

She had avoided any such situations in the past few months. She was on the side of Good now! Hadn't she helped the Charmed Ones vanquish scores of demons? It was disconcerting to find herself falling back into the old persona she had donned in the Underworld, with such practised ease. What would her mother say if she saw her? What would Wyatt think?

"Hey, little girl," called a sinister voice from the shadows.

She looked around her. Talia had walked into a quiet, deserted part of the Alley that, if her thoughts hadn't been preoccupied, she would have avoided like the plague.

She squinted to make out the shapes in the shadows.

Talia smirked. That's precisely what she needed right now. A little fight with some low rank, dark wizards would set her mind at ease, and judging from the three, big, filthy-looking men that were slowly closing in on her, she would get it.

"What's a nice girl like you doing in a bad place like this?"

Talia resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Honestly, did the man really expect to frighten her with a line like that?

"And wearing muggle clothes, too," he drawled.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw the third man, quietly pull out a wand from his tattered robes. Obviously, he was the brains in this operation.

It all happened so fast that the three men would, later on, be hard pressed to remember the exact sequence of events.

Talia turned in a fluid motion to kick the wand out of the man's hand. She grabbed it in mid-air and ducked just in time to avoid a hex one of the other two had managed to hurl at her. With a sharp flick of her wrist, Talia used her power of telekinesis to disarm the rest of her attackers. They watched, wide-eyed and helpless, as she slowly, purposefully, broke their wands before their very eyes.

The hunters had become the hunted. The three men were terrified now. Wandless magic was supposed to be practically impossible! Fear came off them in waves and the Phoenix could practically taste it on her refined palate. She smiled and there was a feline quality to her. One of the men tried to run away, but she was faster.

She lunged at him and grabbed him by the front of his robes. With strength a woman of her size should never have possessed, she threw him against the wall. Without any pause for breath, she rounded on the other two.

Something in her blazing eyes must have warned them of their imminent fate. They were fearfully stumbling backwards in a futile attempt to avoid her sudden rage.

"We-we-we didn't mean-" one of them was saying.

The entire thing took less than five minutes. Talia landed a barrage of lightning-fast punches and kicks that soon had her three attackers howling for mercy.

When she finally walked away from the dark corner of the alley, there were three immobile bodies lying unceremoniously on a heap on the cold, hard, ground.

'I've still got it…!'thought a grinning Talia as she walked out of Knockturn Alley on her way to meet her family just outside Gringotts.


	6. Wand Fitting

**A/N: **Hello everyone! I did promise that I'd upload this next chapter soon, didn't I? Well, here it is! Talia and Wyatt finally get their wands.

I'm in a bit of a hurry I'm afraid, so I can't thank every single one of last chapter's wonderful reviewers in my usual, detailed manner. I can, however, list them.

_Ernie: Can. I. Do. It?_

Go right ahead Ernie.

_Ernie: **Mickis**._

Damn, it's good to hear from you again!

_Ernie: **Mcgirl**._

Fast enough for you?

_Ernie: **Winter**. **Blaze**._

You'll have to wait and see!

_Ernie: **Roby**. **Murphy**._

I'm not giving anything away on that subject!

_Ernie: **Svata2004**._

Maybe, maybe not.

_Ernie: _**_Frances_**_._

Oh, he'll definitely be in it. He's one of my favourites too!

_Ernie: **Ori**._

Wow! Your insight in Talia's character astounds me! And I must say, you have perfected the skill of enlarging my ego with your every review. Please, don't stop!

_Ernie: **Bob-the-bear**._

You are now officially the Head Talia Cheerleader! Congratulations on getting your pom-poms. And thanks for your kind words for **Note.**

_Ernie: **Songwithoutwordz**.._

Thank _you_ for reviewing. I'm so glad you decided to stick with it! And thanks for reviewing my other story too! I have an update emailing list. Want to be on it?

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Thanks also go to the brilliant **Nightcrawler** for his wonderful beta-ing skills and the witty title.

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Enjoy the chapter, and don't forget to review!

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**Wand Fitting**

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"Talia, there you are!" called an obviously excited Wyatt. "You should have seen it! We have our own vault!"

"Really?" asked Talia, smiling indulgently.

"Yes! Here's your key. Our vault is number 1027. It's _huge_! And you have to take a rollercoaster to get there!"

"Don't remind me," complained Piper behind him. "I'm _still_ nauseous!"

"Oh, come on honey," comforted Leo putting an arm around his wife, "it wasn't so bad!"

"You need to learn to have some fun once in a while, Piper," commented Phoebe.

"I can have fun!" the eldest Halliwell protested, affronted by her sister's comment.

Phoebe and Paige shared a look.

"Sure you can, sweetie," consoled Paige, a little too quickly to be completely believable.

"I _can!_" Piper mumbled and pouted.

"Where do yeh wanna go firs' then?" asked Hagrid, his eyes shining. His interruption was well timed. He had only just stopped one of the infamous fights between the Haliwell sisters. "Fer yer school supplies I mean."

Talia and Wyatt looked at each other and grinned.

"The wand shop!" they exclaimed in unison.

Professor Dumbledore had said a few words about wands before leaving, the day before. Each wand was different and suited specifically to its user. Talia and Wyatt couldn't wait to get their hands on their very own wand. Wiccan magic was more powerful, but each incantation took ages to prepare and read correctly, off the Book Of Shadows. Magic with a wand was so much faster! They would have to learn how to use them first of course, but the whole concept of owning a wand brought them that much closer to a completely different, magical, world. It was all very exciting!

"Over 'ere then," said Hagrid beckoning them towards a shop conveniently labelled _'Olivander's Wandmakers'_. He couldn't help but chuckle at the teenagers' excited expressions.

 Hagrid pushed the door open and boldly stepped inside. The shop was deceptively small on the outside, but once they found themselves in the dusty interior, the Halliwells realised just how deep the shop really was. Still, there wasn't much more to it than rows upon dusty rows of boxes that, Talia assumed, contained wands.

"Come in, come in. Don't be shy!" called out a small, wrinkly, old man with white hair and a receding hairline. "Ah, Professor Hagrid!" he said, obviously delighted at seeing the big man, "Oak, seventeen and a half inches with a hippogriff feather core, am I right?" he asked.

"Spot on, sir," admitted Hagrid.

Wyatt looked at his cousin questioningly. Talia shrugged.

"Now, who's looking for a wand then?" asked the old man, presumably Mr Olivander himself, turning his head to look at the oddly dressed party that had accompanied Hagrid inside the shop.

"Mr. Olivander," said Hagrid," taking it upon himself to make the introductions, "these 'ere are Talia Turner an' Wyatt 'alliwell," he bellowed conversationally. "They'll be joining 'ogwarts in September an' they need wands."

Mr. Olivander focused his evaluating gaze on Talia and Wyatt. Talia felt the strange urge to fidget. She restrained herself. The Princess of the Underworld _did not_ fidget. She had faced a whole lot worse than this, rather week looking, old man, but Mr. Olivander exuded a quality Talia could only describe as Dumbledoresque. Perhaps it was the all-knowing glint in his eyes... Talia placed a careful, neutral expression over her features.

"Right, who wants to go first?" Mr. Olivander asked cheerfully enough.

Wyatt looked at his cousin, but she just shrugged once again.

"I will," the blond sixteen-year-old said, stepping forward.

"All right then, stand over there so I can take your measurements," and with a swish of his wand, a measuring tape floated out in front of Wyatt and started measuring all sorts of different parts of the young man's body. Mr. Olivander looked on with interest.

"Are you right handed, or left handed?" he asked, while the tape measured the height of Wyatt's left ear.

"Right handed," Wyatt answered distractedly, trying to keep up with the frantic movements of the measuring tape as it left his ear to measure the width of his ankle.

This went on for quite a while. Mr Olivander only stopped the tape when it tried to measure the back of Wyatt's knee.  For some strange reason, Mr Olivander seemed impressed.

When he finally spoke, it was with an awestruck expression. "You're a Wiccan, aren't you, my boy?"

Wyatt looked nervously back at his family.

"We'd appreciate if yeh kept tha' teh yerself, Mr. Olivande'," said Hagrid.  "Dumbledore wants teh keep it under wraps. Teh avoid all the publicity an' all."

"You are all Wiccans?" asked Mr Olivander looking around at the assembled group. His eyes were shining with excitement.

Several nods answered his question.

"This is all very exciting!" he exclaimed. "I must admit, I'm very curious to see what kind of wands you two find," he said looking from Wyatt to Talia. And with that, he turned to one of the shelves behind him, pulled out a box and handed it to Wyatt. "Maple, twelve and a half inches, with a unicorn's hair core," he said proudly.

Wyatt opened the box warily to find a wand, presumably of the old man's description, resting inside.

"Give it a try," urged Mr. Olivander.

With a quick glance at Hagrid for approval, Wyatt lifted the wand out of its box and waved it around half-heartedly.

A huge explosion that forced Mr. Olivander himself, to cover his ears with his hands, caused every box in the shelves in front of him, to launch out of their place and fly at an alarming speed towards the blond-haired Halliwell. Wyatt managed to duck only just in time as wands of all sorts whistled over his head to embed themselves firmly in the wall behind him.

"Wow!" muttered Talia impressed.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Olivander. I honestly didn't mean-"

"It happens, Mr. Halliwell. It is the wand that chooses the wizard, you know. Not the other way around. Don't worry, we'll find you a wand, though it might take a few tries. Not a single customer has ever walked out of this shop without a wand that wasn't their perfect match."

An hour later, the blond boy was still waving various wands around, to no avail. Wand after wand, they tried, and still Wyatt did not seem to find one that suited him.

"Oh for goodness' sake!" exclaimed Piper irately. "How much longer is this going to take? We've still got a lot of shopping to do!"

Mr. Olivander was observing Wyatt with a calculating look as just one more wand joined the ever-increasing pile of inappropriate wands.

"I wonder..." muttered Mr. Olivander, his hand absently caressing his jaw.

The Halliwells watched as the old man pushed a ladder against the shelves and climbed all the way to the top to bring down one, last, dusty box.

"In you, young man, I sense courage and strength of character little seen in one of your age. There's goodness in you too, and purity of heart. All of them are rare qualities nowadays. To top it all off, you are very powerful, and most wands find difficulty in channeling that much power, but I have a feeling that this wand will suit quite nicely." He opened the box to offer the wand to Wyatt. "Give it a wave," he said, standing cautiously back. Dozens of failed efforts in the past hour of trying to locate Wyatt's suitable wand, had taught the wandmaker not to stand too close.

There was something Wyatt couldn't place in Mr. Olivander's voice. The old man seemed very optimistic about this wand and Wyatt looked at it with a little more attention than any of others. Wyatt took the slender object in his hand and lifted it out of its box. It felt light, and the length felt comfortable, he noted. He waved the wand around and was surprised to see a shower of red and green sparkles shoot up into the air at his command.

"I knew it!" Mr. Olivander said enthusiastically, looking delighted.

"It's about time!" muttered Paige.

"Willow. Fourteen and a quarter inches with a gryphon's claw core. Have you any idea how difficult it is to track down a gryphon? There are so few of them left... This wand is unique. My great, great, great grandfather, Alfred, made it, more than seven hundred and fifty years ago, but there has never been a witch or wizard that could command its power. Alfred had been young then, just starting out in the business, and his father chastised him for making such a wand. He felt that it was too powerful for anyone to handle, and thus, it would never find a master. I guess we proved great, great, great grandfather Alfred right today, my boy!" said Mr. Olivander jovially, patting Wyatt congratulatory in the back.

"Looks like yeh got yerself a grea' wand ther' Wyatt!" said Hagrid in congratulations.

Wyatt just seemed relieved. His right hand was aching with all the waving around that he had done.

"And now, the young lady," said Mr Olivander as he turned his attention to Talia. "Would you be so kind as to stand over there while I take your measurements, Miss Turner?"

Talia grinned and stood stock still for the measuring tape as it whizzed around her of its own accord.

"Right handed or left handed, Miss Turner?"

"Left handed."

She gave up trying to follow the tape with her eyes, when it measured the distance between her eyebrows. The thing might have been clever, but it was giving her a headache! Fifteen minutes later the metre was still measuring and Talia was seriously considering, in her annoyance, of incinerating the damn thing with one of her fireballs! Surely it hadn't taken Wyatt this long... She looked up to see Mr. Olivander's reaction, and found the old man frowning. One of Talia's perfectly formed eyebrows flew up in curiosity. The wandmaker seemed completely absorbed in the measurements he was receiving and, though neither Talia, nor any of the others, had any idea of what the measurements were telling him, they could tell from his expression that it wasn't good news.

"What's wrong?" Phoebe finally asked, concerned.

"Did you say that you two are related?" the old man asked.

"We're first cousins," supplied Wyatt. "Why?"

"Well..." he started, obviously unsure as to how to proceed, "when I measured Mr. Halliwell I noticed an unusual amount of good magic; of positive energy. In measuring you Miss Turner, I cannot help but notice that you have an unusual amount of...dark magic in you. It's just rather unusual to see two people, so closely related, with such a difference in their magic."

The poor man seemed quite perplexed. Telling people that they were literally overflowing with power was very rare, but hardly unpleasant, news. Then again, these were Wiccans, and, taking into account that Wyatt and Talia were the only Wiccans he had ever measured for a wand...for all the old wandmaker knew, they were all, this powerful. No, the amount of magical energy present was definitely impressive, but that wasn't what had the old man furrowing his eyebrows in bewilderment and a little bit of fear. It was the _type_ of magic that the girl possessed that had caused that reaction. The dark energy she exuded seemed almost too powerful to contemplate, and the very thought of what she could do if all that dark energy was put to the use of Evil, was scaring him more than he would ever be willing to admit! But what really confused Mr. Olivander, was that Wyatt had just as much light as Talia had darkness. They were cousins they said. But how could they be, when they seemed to be the extremes of such a wide spectrum?

"Dark magic, huh?" asked Wyatt, obviously amused. "Fancy that!"

"Is that all? You had us worried there for a second, Mr. Olivander," added Talia, purposefully ignoring her uncle Leo who was glaring at her for her obvious laugh at the wandmaker's expense.

Wyatt shared a mischievous look with the brunette that now had a very feline grin on her face. Mr. Olivander couldn't help noticing how sharp her white teeth looked. Perhaps it was his own imagination playing tricks on him, but for a split second, under the dim light of the shop, he could see her for the predator she was; a large cat-like creature, with feline grace and elegance, just as lethal as any tiger or panther. He shook himself and forced his attention back at the task at hand.

"Mahogany, seven and a half inches, with a veela hair core," he remarked.

An hour later, Talia still hadn't found a suitable wand.

"I'm getting a very strange sense of déjà vu," Paige complained. "Does every witch or wizard take as much time as Wyatt and Talia to find a wand?"

"Oh, no," assured Mr. Olivander. "Miss Turner and Mr. Wyatt are definitely exceptions. I've never had to find wands for Wiccans before, though my great grandfather did. We'll find the right wand, I'm sure of it. It's just going to take some time."

"How _much_ time are we talking about, Mr. Olivander? I said it before and I'm going to say it again. We've still got shopping to do! We can't spend the whole day in your shop!" an exasperated Piper said, throwing her hands in the air.

The wandmaker didn't answer. He was busy studying Talia as she placed one more wand on top of the growing pile of rejected wands. The result of her wand waving had been even more destructive than Wyatt's. Between them, the two cousins had all but ruined his shop, but that was not what the old man was thinking. Miss Turner was a challenge and he would find her a wand, if it was the last thing he did! Hadn't he found a wand for her cousin? And hadn't he found a wand for Harry Potter himself?

"Miss Turner, I think I might have just the right wand for you," he turned to the last, shelf still standing, and carefully climbed a shaky ladder to reach the highest floor.

"It better be the right wand," muttered Talia to Wyatt. "I'm really getting sick and tired of waving sticks around and blowing things up."

Wyatt nodded in understanding. He had felt the exact same way a little more than an hour ago.

"Here it is!" said Mr. Olivander triumphantly, before blowing the dust off the box's wooden cover. "Just like my great, great, great grandfather, Alfred, and all the Olivanders in their youth, I too experimented with the creation of...shall we say, unorthodox, wands. I gave up of ever finding an owner for this wand, years ago, but somehow, I think you might be the one." He lifted the lid off the box and offered its contents to Talia.

The young girl couldn't help but admire the glossy finish and reddish tint of the dark wood.

"Is this ebony?" she asked, lifting it out of its cushion.

"You know your woods, young lady," said the old man, pleased. "Precisely thirteen inches," he said proudly, "made of the finest ebony, with a very special core."

Talia looked on with reverent eyes. The wand felt powerful in her hand, almost alive with power.

"Before you wave it," interrupted Mr. Olivander, suddenly sounding nervous, "perhaps it would be best if the rest of us took some precautions. Young Mr. Halliwell, behind that shelf if you will, Mr. Wyatt, kindly take your wife and yourself behind that desk there, and Hagrid and the rest of you lovely ladies, I think it would safer if you stood right there."

Mr. Olivander's preparations were making everyone nervous.

"Do you really think this is necessary, sir?" enquired Leo.

"I don't want to hurt anyone," said a hesitant Talia, even though her fingers were itching to wave the wand around.

"Just a few safety precautions," reassured the wandmaker, though the tone of his voice said differently. "When others tried this wand out in the past, the results tended to be slightly...explosive."

"So what else is new," mumbled Paige. In one of Talia failed attempts, the flowing sleeve of her blouse had caught fire. She was still quite bitter for having one of her favorite pieces of clothing ruined.

"Nothing to worry about, I assure you," Mr. Olivander was still saying from behind the one of the sturdier-looking shelves. "Is everybody in place? Good. Wave away, Miss Turner."

Talia did as she was told to, barely resisting the urge to close her eyes against the explosion she just knew would come.

The explosion never came. Instead, a shower of silver sparks spilled out of the wand's tip in a beautiful display.

"I knew it!" yelled a jovial Mr. Olivander.

"What's the core of this wand, sir?" asked Wyatt, while Talia admired her new wand.

"It is a combination of cores, Mr. Halliwell: dragon heartstring and phoenix feather. My father laughed at me for ever thinking I could combine any two magical cores, never mind such violently contrasting ones, but I just knew that there would be time where the dual nature of this wand would come in handy!"

"Thank you, Mr. Olivander," said a delighted Talia. After the first twenty wands she had wondered if she would ever find a wand of her own.

Phoebe smiled indulgently.

"How much do we owe you, Mr. Olivander?" she asked.

Talia never heard Mr. Olivander's answer. She was too busy looking at her beautiful, brand new, wand. Wyatt slung a friendly arm across her shoulders.

"So we both got our wands, huh? It looks like we'll finally learn how to be wizards!"

Talia grinned, turning to look up at her cousin.

"The wizarding world won't know what hit it!"

They both turned to look at the remains of the wandshop. Gone were the tidy shelves and neatly stacked boxes. Mr. Olivander's desk was now lying on the floor in three separate pieces. The place was almost unrecognizable from what it had been just a few hours ago. The wizarding world wouldn't know what hit it, indeed!


	7. A Father's touch

_Talia: Hello everyone! Cinammon's conveniently, err... I meant to say… unfortunately… tied up right now. [Insert maniacal laughter here]_

/Muffled screams of rage explode from a tied up and gagged Cinammon in the corner/

_Talia: So, it falls to me, as the star of this show, to use her notes and thank you all for your wonderful reviews. _

**Sweetone41185:** Yes, I am rather proud of Wyatt's and Talia's wands! And don't worry about Mr Olivander. He's a wizard and he'll soon have his shop back to the way I was. As for what's next for Talia and Wyatt… well, you might have to wait 'till next chapter to find out!

**Winter Blaze:** Flattery will get you everywhere… Thanks for the brilliant comments. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Barb6**: I always hated having to shop for school shoes too! I went to one of these prissy, 'private' schools and they were pretty strict when it came to school shoes. They had to be brown and, because for public schools shoes had to be either black or blue, we had to literally scour the shops in search of the occasional, invariably ugly, brown shoe. According to school rules, the shoes also had to have a 4cm heel or less. Any more heel and we ended up with detention! And yes, the teachers did go around carrying rulers, measuring the heel of our shoe. Go figure!

**Roby Murphy:** Err… incredible intuition?

**Frances****:** Well… /grins sheepishly/ I did read the books, but I don't actually own them, and it was a long time ago. I saw the films a lot more recently. I guess I'll have to go by my rather unreliable memory. Well done for spotting it though. Thanks for the 'good job'!

**Ori****:** Yes, Wyatt and his Gryphon core wand play a small part in the plot. More of an indication really of what's to come. And now that I've given that particular little titbit away, I'll just shut up on the hints or I might as well give the entire story away!

I'm glad you got the right hand/left hand thing. No one else did. In olden times, left handed people were considered evil. In the HP books, Draco Malfoy is left handed and, although I'm not sure, I think Tom Riddle is too.

And as for ebony… In some cultures, types of wood have certain meanings. Ebony is the darkest wood and is often considered to have the greatest affinity for evil. As Mr Olivander pointed out, Talia's magic is rather dark and so she needs a wand to match her. No unicorn hair cores for Talia! Unless I'm mistaken, an ebony wand with a dragon heartstring is also mentioned in the HP books. Could this be a hint as to what lies ahead for Talia? And Talia's phoenix feather core did not come from Fawkes. You are absolutely right. Fawkes only gave two feathers: Harry's and Voldie's. But I couldn't have Talia's wand without something from a Phoenix!

You'll have to wait and see about the Hogwarts houses that Wyatt and Talia are going to be sorted into. You might have forced certain hints out of me in this review response, but I'm NOT giving that away!

**Mickis****: **I can't wait to put them in Hogwarts either. Unfortunately, we'll both have to wait 'till next chapter for that.

**Svata2004:** I don't know about that... Talia and Wyatt are going to school with some of the most powerful witches and wizards the Wizarding World has seen in decades! It's true, wiccan magic is more powerful in a raw-sort-of-way than wizarding magic, but, just think of Wyatt's and Talia's classmates! They're not the type that can be easily dismissed. It'll be a while before we can see them all properly, but I can't wait!

**Songwithoutwordz****:** Ask and ye shall receive! You are now on my update email list thingy! Thank you very much for your kind words. /Wipes tear from eye/ Where would I be without you guys?!

**Charmedchick11:** I'm glad the previous chapter made you laugh. That was the point of it. The story was getting a little serious for my liking. I do try and insert a little humour here and there, but I'm afraid I'm not usually very good at it.

**Chantedly****: **/Squeals with pleasure/ You're back!! No need to apologise. If you are busy, you're busy. Life has a way of doing that. Thanks for your lovely comments. I was flattered to hear that I made your day. I live for comments like that.

**Bob-the-bear:** Thanks for the compliment, but I had a little bit of help with the wands. I looked up types of wood on the internet to make sure that I didn't actually make any horrible mistakes that you brilliant people could catch me out on. Which reminds me, did Talia's official head cheerleader come up with any new cheers? I love reading them… /Hint! Hint!/

**Mcgirl****:** Will do! Keep reading and I'll keep writing!

**Charmedfanatic3000:** Hope I haven't kept you waiting too long, Alex! I love you to bits, do you know that?

.

/Cinammon finaly manages to untie herself and remove the gag/

Mutiny! Mutiny I say!

_Ernie: Mutiny. Only. Happens. At. Sea._

Whose side are you on, Ernie?!

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And I hope you all know by now, that I would be nothing without my brilliant and wonderful beta reader **Nightcrawler**! His poignant observations and superior grammar knowledge keeps me on my toes. Chapters wouldn't be half as wonderful without him!

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****

Why, Talia, why?

_Talia (looking properly chastised): Because I wanted to do the thank yous to our reviewers…_

/Cinammon sighs/

**Ask** next time, will you?

****

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Don't forget to review, everyone!

.

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**Chapter 7: A Father's touch**

In the deepest, darkest, recesses of the Underworld, the Source sat on his magnificent, black marble throne. He had his eyes shut. His attention lay not in the dimly lit throne room. His consciousness travelled thousands of miles away to a little country called, Iraq.

.

In Baghdad, the dark-skinned man licked his chapped lips one last time, mentally sending his last prayers to his god. He was a man with a mission. Had been, ever since his young wife and son had been run over by the cruel, faceless, American tanks; a little more than a year ago. But today, he would finally get his retribution. He gave the explosives strapped to his chest one last, cursory, check, and looked up one last time at the clear blue sky. An unearthly scream tore from his throat as he charged into the tall building. Was it born of fear, holy rage, or exultation at finally getting to see his dead family once again...? No one knew, least of all him.

That evening, the news would report yet another terrorist attack in Iraq against NATO. The explosion would claim twelve dead. Among the dead would be a British mother and her five-year-old daughter. They had arrived in Iraq that very morning, to visit the little girl's father, a British major who had not been in the building at the time of the explosion. Consequentially, the British major in question, would survive. And so would his newly-found hate for anything Islamic.

The hate in him would grow, and fester, and consume everything in its path. Major Arthur McCormick would ruthlessly devote himself to the cruelties of war. The Major had always been good at his job...too good. And with all mercy and humanity stripped from him in one senseless piece of seemingly random violence, the British soldier would be all the more terrible!

.

The all-encompassing black eyes of the Source glinted maliciously in the darkness at the evil that had been achieved.

The man that had once been Cole Turner had to consciously ignore the little voice in his head telling him that what he had just done was wrong, but the switching off of the remnant of his conscience was done with practised ease, and his face betrayed no reaction to it. No Source before him had ever had to worry about a conscience, and there were times that Cole would gladly have exchanged what little humanity he had left in him, to never hear that little voice again. Its lilting tones were still much too familiar however, and they couldn't help but bring to mind the large brown eyes of his favourite Charmed witch.

But Cole Turner and the Source were one now...had been for years. The Dark Side had changed him. The Power had changed him.

No one could have wielded, and with so much success, might he add proudly, the amount of Dark magic that he did, day after day, and not have it alter him to the very core. Risking his life doing good, helping the Charmed Ones save innocents the way he once had... The very thought of it now, made him sick. He had lost that part of him for good.

Yes, being Ruler of the Underworld came with a high price. But he had known that before he took the job.

He knew what he was doing when he chose to come back to the Underworld. It was true that he and Talia needed a home and a future at the time, but, deciding to go after the throne, knowing the risks he would have to take to achieve it, had filled him with excitement. No Source had ever lost the throne and lived. No old Source had ever claimed the throne a second time. His reputation with the demonic world had been in tatters, his one time allies had all turned their backs on him. The challenge was one that Cole Turner hadn't been able to refuse.

He looked at the large silver ring that adorned his middle finger and smiled in the darkness. And he'd be lying if he didn't admit that he enjoyed the power he had as the Source of All Evil, the Supreme Ruler of the Underworld. He looked around him in appreciation of the majestic room, the opulent throne, the exquisite sceptre by his side, and the beautiful cloak that was draped elegantly over his wide shoulders. The eyes that surveyed all this were not the sinister black that had been passed on to him through a dynasty of Evil. They were the ice blue eyes Phoebe Halliwell had once fallen in love with; the ice blue eyes that Talia was most familiar with. Even his brief time as an ordinary human had not quenched, or even dimmed, the thirst of his ambition. Hadn't he been a _lawyer_ even then after all?

Talia and Phoebe...the only two people he had ever given a damn about...

Talia understood him in a way Phoebe never could. Phoebe always insisted that Belthazor, Cole Turner, and the Source, were different entities. Talia knew that he was all, rolled into one. Phoebe had tried to change him into who she wanted him to be. Talia had simply accepted him for who he was, in a way only one's child could. There was one thing that Phoebe could never understand. Cole Turner was not _possessed_ by the Source, he _was _the Source.

_There is no Good or Evil. There is only Power, and those too weak to seek it._

That was the Underworld's favourite saying, and it summed the people and creatures that associated themselves with it, to perfection.

Talia had it too, he knew. That ruthless ambition, the determination of getting what she wanted by any means possible. He was glad really that she had managed to escape the Underworld before the desire for Power had become too powerful in her, to resist. People – mortals, demons, and witches alike – did terrible things for Power. And there were, always, consequences to that. If anything, at least his little girl would escape the torments of her own mind, the invariable guilt her actions would have caused her. He knew from experience that, because of her humanity, the guilt would have only increased exponentially, 'til it drove her mad!

And that was certainly not a nice mental place to be. He knew.

He wondered if she still had nightmares. He still did. And probably would 'til the day he died. It was the price for keeping his humanity. But if having the horrendous nightmares he did, meant retaining that little part of him that allowed him to love his daughter, then he could handle all the nightmares that Morpheus, vindictive as he sometimes could be, threw at him.

Perhaps Talia, in choosing her own path, would have better luck. The Source wished it with all the father's love most speculated he could never feel.

.

But the Source's musings were cut short by the very person whose fate he was currently pondering. Talia's soft voice echoed in his mind. His daughter was calling him.

Cole closed his eyes and used his inner sense to locate her. She was on their little island; their haven; neutral ground. He opened his eyes and smiled in the darkness before flaming to her.

.

"You can't keep doing this, you know."

Talia turned to face him with a smile.

"It's not like I do it all the time. I haven't seen you since..." her smile ran away from her face, "...Christmas."

Cole knew exactly what had caused her change in mood. Last Christmas hadn't been very happy, but at least he had managed to be there for her when she needed him. It had meant defying practically every rule he had sworn to abide by when he had become the Source, but it had revealed to them both that their bizarre relationship could survive anything. Outwardly his expression betrayed nothing. Talia wouldn't call him without reason, and he was curious as to why he was here.

"So," she started awkwardly, "how is everything? Back at the Underworld, I mean."

He raised a single eyebrow at her. This was not what she had called him for. She was stalling and they both knew it. She smiled sheepishly at being caught. Seeing the amused expression on his face, she decided to just come out and say it.

"Wyatt and I are planning to disappear for a while. I just thought you might like to know," she said, all business.

"Disappear?" he asked, obviously willing her to elaborate further.

She smirked.

"Off the record, think of owls and pointy hats."

A fleeting look of surprise momentarily flashed across the Source's handsome face. Anyone else would have missed it, but Talia simply noted it with a little bit of satisfaction for having caught it in the first place.

"Anything particularly dangerous?" he enquired, trying to sound nonchalant. He would have succeeded too, if he were speaking with anyone other than his daughter.

She shook her head.

"More of an educational trip actually," she answered, unable to completely hide the excitement in her voice.

The Source looked pleased for her.

"It sounds fascinating."

Her twinkling eyes agreed.

"That's my point of view exactly."

For a few seconds, father and daughter dropped all pretences and grinned unabashedly at each other. Gods he missed her!

Almost before he realised he was doing it, Cole started to leisurely walk along the beach. Talia walked beside him with practised ease. How many times had the two of them done this on this very same beach in summers past?

"How's your mother taking it?" he asked.

Talia picked up on the slight hesitation in his voice. She suppressed a sigh. There was no doubt in her mind that her parents loved each other still. Life was so unfair sometimes!

"She doesn't like me leaving," Talia admitted, "but I'm afraid I didn't give her much of a choice."

Cole smiled wryly.

"No, you wouldn't, would you? Go easy on her. She doesn't see things the way we do. She means well though."

It was unlike Cole to be so open about her mother. Talia didn't dare comment on it, but she took his words to heart as she always did.

"This trip, it should also provide a bit of a break from...routine," he said thoughtfully.

Talia nodded.

"Leo seems to think so."

"I'm glad," he said firmly. He wrestled with himself for a while before admitting, "I was beginning to worry."

It was Talia's turn to raise an eyebrow at him.

"Don't get me wrong, Talia. I know you can handle yourself." He smirked. "I taught you everything you know, after all. But you can't keep going the way you have been these past few months." He allowed his concern to show through his eyes. "In fact, I'm pleasantly surprised that you managed to keep it up for as long as you have."

Talia smiled. Praise from her father was rare.

"I had help," she admitted.

"Wyatt."

It wasn't a question.

"We make a good team."

"So I hear," he added shrewdly. "I'm glad he's going with you. The wizarding world is a rather eventful place, nowadays."

"Really?"

Again, he seemed briefly surprised.

"Hasn't Leo mentioned anything?"

"No, he hasn't," she answered, suddenly stone-faced.

Talia looked at her father, obviously expecting him to go on. Strangely, he seemed reluctant to do so.

"There's a war brewing." He sighed tiredly. "And knowing you, you'll get yourself caught right in the middle of it all."

They stayed silent for a while. Cole did not expand on the subject any further, and Talia didn't ask him to.

"Kinda makes you wonder what those Elders are up to," Talia said softly, frowning slightly.

With the exception of Leo, Talia didn't have much respect for Elders. Leo was the only Elder she knew to actually get off his high and mighty seat and contribute in the war the other Elders felt happy to simply watch from afar. She didn't blame Leo for not being completely honest with them. Even Elders had to follow rules sometimes.

"The situation in the wizarding world may have nothing to do with why you and Wyatt are going there," Cole said.

Father and daughter turned to look at each other. They both recognised the untruthfulness of his statement.

"I'll just have to keep my eyes open," Talia said.

"The whole thing is still a wonderful opportunity," the Source added in attempt to raise her spirits.

It worked. She couldn't help but smile.

"Yes it is. I can't wait, and neither can Wyatt!"

Cole couldn't help but smile at her infectious enthusiasm. There were so few things the Princess of All Evil allowed herself to become excited about...

"Don't just look for demons and evil wizards, Talia. Learn as much as you can, but make sure you enjoy yourself, too. The wizarding world is a fascinating place and I never got the chance to show it to you properly." He grinned uncharacteristically. He was with the only person he ever allowed himself to be seen by, like this. "Have some fun for once!"

The Source's daughter had had to grow up too quickly for her father's peace of mind. At Hogwarts she could reclaim a little of her lost childhood before having to give it up forever...if the ancient school actually survived the Phoenix's arrival that is.

"I have to go, Father," Talia finally said, sadly, interrupting her father's thoughts. "I'll be missed."

She said it with regret. Part of her didn't want to go. She missed him more than she could ever say. Cole met his daughter's eyes and nodded solemnly. It wouldn't do for the Charmed Ones to know that she had forewarned him of her plans.

Talia reached out to touch her father's rough cheek with her soft palm in an affectionate gesture of farewell, before flaming out to leave him standing alone on the sandy beach.

"Be careful, Talia," Cole whispered to the wind, before he too flamed out, back to the Underworld.

.

**A/N: **In case you haven't picked up on it yet, because the people at have decided that - for some strange reason I don't understand - asterisks are evil, I have decided to retaliate by using / instead. Next chapter shouldn't be too long in coming!


	8. Moving Pictures

**A/N:** Hello everyone!

I have good news and I have bad news.

Good new is, that I've updated! And it took me less than a week to do it! Aren't you proud of me?

Bad news is that I'm going on holiday as of tomorrow, and I'll have absolutely no internet access until the end o the month. Isn't that terrible? It'll take at least two weeks 'till the next update, but I promise to make up for that then.

_Ernie: Time. For. Thanks._

Of course it is Ernie.

_Ernie: Thanks. Go. To. _**_Frances_**_._

It's bit difficult to keep everyone happy. I've got people calling for more Charmed,then I've got you wanting more Harry Potter! I'm doing my best here! I sure am glad you're sticking with the story though! At least the update was fast, right?

_Ernie: **Winter. Blaze.**_

A couple more chapters for that, I'm afraid! Keep guessing though. Update fast enough?

_Ernie: **Songwithoutwordz**._

No I haven't gotten your previous review, but thanks for the effort! You don't ever have to apologise for reviewing any of my stories twice! I can relate and sympathise though. I've written strangely insightful, hopefully helpful, witty reviews before, only to have them swallowed up by the monster that is ff . net! And then of course I can't be bothered to write the whole thing all over again, which is always much harder than the first time round, and I usually don't even bother writing a review after that. So I really appreciate you reviewing at all! Thank you.

Ernie: Mickis.

Thanks, doll, you made my day! I was rather reluctant adding that scene, but I'm glad I did. Cole's come a long way, in my story.

Ernie: Svata2004.

Thanks hon. Here's the update you wanted!

Ernie: Mcgirl.

I can but try. And I'm glad you think so! Here's the next chapter. No Cole though.

Ernie: Chantedly.

Does this answer your question darling? Of course sucking up means you'll get the next chapter faster! As long as I have computer access that is!

Ernie: Ori1.

Blushes madly! Wow! No one's called me a deity before!

Actually, I'm pretty envious of Cole and Talia's relationship too. They understand each other so well, that things don't need to be told and named between them, for one of them to understand what the other means. Their closeness is more evident between the lines, than in what they actually say. shrugs That's what I was going for anyway!

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And, as always, many, many, many thanks go to **Nightcrawler**, the world's best beta reader!

.

Enjoy this next chapter, everyone. And don't forget to review!

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**Chapter 8: Moving Pictures**

"Talia?" called Wyatt after having orbed into Professor Dumbledore's office.

"I'm right here," Talia said from behind him and they both put down the trunks they were carrying.

"Wyatt, come see!"

"It's a phoenix!"

"Yes."

"Must be nice to have another one around..."

Wyatt got slapped on the back of the head for his comment. People weren't supposed to know of his cousin's ability to transform into the mythical fire-bird. The Charmed Ones themselves had only known for a couple of months, although Talia had told him ages ago.

The seventeen-year-old witch fawned over the phoenix. She stroked the rich plumage of the bird and it nuzzled her hand gently in affection. Fawkes knew his own kind when he met any, even if they did come in strange shapes and sizes.

Wyatt in the meantime scanned the strange room they found themselves in. All sorts of strange objects caught his eye and he stared in amazement.

"Wow! Tal, look at those pictures. They're moving!"

Talia nodded excitedly, abandoning the bird that had been making cooing noises at her to walk next to the blond boy.

"Yeah, I heard about that, but I've never actually seen wizarding pictures before," she said, leaning over to look at the pictures of past headmasters that adorned Dumbledore's office.

The old headmasters looked back at the two teenagers with interest.

"Aborigines," Talia said, "believe that a picture or a photograph of a person, will steal part of their soul. Wizard pictures work similarly. They capture and imprint the person's essence at the time the picture was taken without actually taking anything from their subjects. Watch this.

"Good morning," she said to one of the wizard paintings.

"Good morning," answered the old man in the painting politely.

"I'm terribly sorry to bother you, but we have an appointment with Professor Dumbledore. You wouldn't happen to know where we could find him, would you?"

The painting seemed flattered that she would address him.

"I'm afraid not, dear lady. Are you a student here?"

"I'm sorry!" she smiled disarmingly, "We hadn't meant to be rude by not introducing ourselves. My name is Talia Turner, and this is my cousin Wyatt Halliwell. We'll be starting Hogwarts in September."

"Hello," greeted Wyatt with a smile, feeling foolish talking to a painting.

"My name is Professor Orion Montgarne. I was a Headmaster of Hogwarts nearly four hundred years ago. I must say, it's a pleasure to meet some polite young people for once. Hardly any students ever talk to us these days!"

Wyatt desperately wanted to make a biting remark regarding the fact that Professor Montgarne was now in all probability dead, and a painting, and perhaps that had something to do with why it was so hard for him to find people to talk to, but one look at Talia silenced him.

"Would it be alright if we waited for Professor Dumbledore here, do you think?" she enquired.

"You are more than welcome dears," answered another portrait of an elderly, kindly-looking witch. "My name is Professor Amelia Fleance and I too was a headmistress of Hogwarts in the past. Most of us here were. As my predecessor has told you, we hardly ever have much company these days."

"And besides," added another painting, "I'm sure Dumbledore won't mind in the slightest."

Talia and Wyatt turned to face the wizard that had just spoken.

"Professor Dippet," he said by way of an introduction. "Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizadry before Professor Dumbledore," he bowed, "at your service."

Talia smiled politely and Wyatt nodded bemusedly as they each took a seat facing the headmaster's desk and the paintings on the wall behind it. Wyatt was timid at first, but seeing the ease with which Talia talked to the portraits of the dead headmasters, he soon joined in.

.

The fact of the matter was that when Professor Dumbledore arrived at his office ten minutes later, he found the two teenagers in deep conversation with the many portraits. His eyes twinkled in amusement as he watched the scene, unnoticed, from the entrance of the room.

"So there were four founders," stated Wyatt with a furrowed brow, "but they argued and one of them-"

"Slytherin," provided Professor Montgarne.

"Slytherin," agreed Wyatt, "left."

The portraits nodded.

"So what did they argue about?" asked Talia.

The headmasters shared a look, but it was the kindly Professor Fleance that answered the question.

"Slytherin believed that the school should be open only to pure-blooded witches and wizards."

An unreadable expression passed over Talia's face and Wyatt looked at her worriedly.

"Are you a muggleborn, dear?" asked the elderly witch.

"No, I'm not."

But the strange expression didn't leave Talia's face. For too long she had had to contend with not being a pure-blooded demon in the Underworld. She hated the idea that she would probably be discriminated against, again, for the same reason.

"What does muggleborn mean?" asked Wyatt.

"A muggle, my lad," answered Professor Dippet, "is a non-magical person. A muggle-born, is a witch or wizard born to muggle parents. It's relatively rare. Some wizards believe that muggleborns aren't as worthy of magic as pure-blooded witches and wizards. All rubbish of course."

"I see that you've been catching up on Hogwarts history," interrupted Dumbledore's kindly voice.

Talia and Wyatt turned round to face the old man that filled the door frame of the office. Politely they both rose out of their chairs, but he motioned for them to sit back down as he took his own seat behind the large mahogany desk.

"I'm terribly sorry to have kept you waiting, but I'm afraid there was quite a ruckus at the Great Hall with our resident poltergeist, and I had to deal with the situation. Lemon drop?" he offered, holding a crystal bowl of yellow coloured sweets towards them.

Wyatt leant forwards to take one of the proffered sweets.

"No need to apologize sir, we can understand that a ghost banishing takes priority over most things."

"Oh, no! No one would ever _banish_ Peeves!" said Dumbledore cheerfully, now offering the sweets to Talia, "he's part of the Hogwarts family!"

Talia popped the lemon drop in her mouth and tried to get her head round the fact of considering a poltergeist as part of the family.

"Right, shall we get down to business?" asked Dumbledore beaming at them. "I believe you now know a little bit about the four houses of Hogwarts, courtesy of my predecessors. At the beginning of the new school year, you will be sorted along with the other new students into your houses, but for now we have prepared other rooms for you two. I will have someone show you to them, as soon as we're finished here.

"Until then, we need to discuss your lessons.

"Wiccan magic is very different to the kind we have here. I hope you've read the subject list and chosen your subjects...?"

The two teenagers nodded.

"May I see your options?"

He extended his hand to take the leaf of paper that Wyatt was already passing to him.

"Hmm, Potions, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Charms, and I see that Wyatt's chosen Care of Magical Creatures while Talia, you've chosen... Ancient Runes? That's good," he mumbled, "well it looks like you have quite some studying to do this summer. More for some subjects than others, I presume," he mused.

Dumbledore seemed to be thinking for a while. Talia and Wyatt waited politely.

"In Potions and Defence Against the Dark Arts you will be tutored by Professor Snape," he finally said, "I have already requested that he remain at Hogwarts throughout these summer holidays. Professor Sprout and Professor Flitwick will tutor you in Herbology and Charms and I'm sure that Hagrid will love to have you around for Care of Magical Creatures, Mr. Halliwell. Miss Turner, I'm not sure if Professor Leontes is available to tutor you in Ancient Runes over the summer, but I'll see what I can do.

"Alright then, I presume you already have your school supplies?"

Talia and Wyatt nodded.

Wyatt's hand went to his back pocket where the willow wand with the gryphon's claw for its core, rested. The idea of using a 'stick' to do magic still seemed absurd to him. He had a feeling that waving the stick around shouting 'Abracadabra!' at the top of his voice would do nothing but make him look foolish.

Dumbledore clapped his hands and a strange creature with eyes like dinner plates dressed in bright yellow shorts, a green t-shirt and what appeared to be a tea-cosy on his head, appeared in front of them with a soft pop.

The two children watched in amazement as the short creature bowed in front of the headmaster respectfully.

"How can Dobby help Professor Dumbledore sir?"

Dumbledore smiled benignly.

"Dobby, please take Miss Turner and Mr Halliwell to their rooms. I'll take care of their trunks."

Dobby bowed once again. The two cousins bid their goodbyes to the headmaster and rose to follow the creature whose face seemed about to split from the wide smile that grazed his leathery features.

Once they were gone, Dumbledore took out his wand and aimed it carelessly at the two trunks. A muttered incantation and a soft pop later, and the trunks vanished form the headmaster's office to appear in Wyatt and Talia's new rooms.

"Lovely children," mused the painting of Professor Fleance fondly.

"Good upbringing," agreed Professor Dippet's gruff voice.

"I'm glad you approve," said Dumbledore. "They are Wiccan witches. That's why they are here so early. They have to catch up on our way of doing magic before they join their classmates."

"Wiccans?" asked Professor Dippet. "We haven't had any of those for quite a while, right Albus? Not since Amelia's time."

Professor Fleance nodded.

"His name was Ronar. He never did manage to get the hang of most subjects...wonderful in Potions and Herbology of course, but not much good in anything else. Wiccan powers are too raw, too connected with the Earth itself, to channel through a wand."

Professor Montgarne though, didn't seem to share their opinions.

"Those two are very powerful. Couldn't you feel the magic flowing out of them? I have a feeling that these aren't just any Wiccans, am I right Albus?"

Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully.

"They are the children of the Charmed Ones."

Gasps of excitement could be heard from the paintings.

"The boy's father is an Elder, and the girl's is the Source himself."

Professor Dippet whistled softly.

"My, my, what a combination!" exclaimed Professor Fleance, flushed with the excitement of it all.

"It should be interesting having them at Hogwarts," Professor Dumbledore agreed, his eyes twinkling as he looked speculatively at the door from which Wyatt and Talia had exited.

.

Wyatt and Talia still followed Dobby through the winding corridors of Hogwarts. They looked at the little creature in amazement and when Wyatt could take it no longer, he cleared his throat with a dry cough, before asking the question that had plagued him for a while now.

"I'm sorry if I'm being rude," asked Wyatt, "but what kind of creature are you?"

Dobby turned round to look at them.

"Dobby is a house elf!" he announced proudly.

"An elf...? But, I've met elves before..." Wyatt's brow furrowed, "they didn't look like you. They looked more like humans really, only shorter, and with pointy ears."

"Not an elf, Master Halliwell sir...a house elf!"

"Oh," said Wyatt, not really seeing the difference.

Talia stifled a laugh.

"So, what do you actually do around here Dobby?"

"Dobby is a house elf, missus. Dobby works," Dobby answered uncomprehendingly.

"Dobby, you don't have to call me Missus. My name is Talia, and this is my cousin, Wyatt."

Dobby seemed to blush under Talia's direct gaze.

"Dobby can't do that missus. Dobby is a house elf."

It was Wyatt's turn to stifle a laugh. Was the small creature's answer to everything the fact that he was a house elf?

Talia stopped abruptly and her two companions followed suit.

"Dobby, surely you don't call everyone master and missus. What about your friends? You _do _have friends, don't you?"

Talia herself was really rather reluctant to trust people. She was raised in the Underworld after all! If she was honest with herself, there were only three people she trusted fully in the entire world. First and foremost, she trusted herself and her own powers; Wyatt was the second person she trusted, Cole the third. But friends were convenient. They were fun to have. They were people you could trust to a certain extend, and have fun with. Talia had spent the last year making 'friends' left, right, and centre. Wyatt had been amused, but she was only making up for lost time.

Dobby smiled.

"Oh yes, Missus Turner. Dobby has friends. Dobby is friends with Harry Potter sir. Harry Potter is a great wizard! And Dobby is friends with Harry Potter's Wheezy and with Missus Hermione. They give Dobby socks."

Wyatt's eye fell on Dobby's small feet and once again he felt a laughing fit coming on. Dobby wore one bright green sock with pink spots on his left foot, and a blue sock with yellow stars on his right foot.

Talia seemed unfazed.

"Well Dobby," she said, "Wyatt and I want to be your friends too. Would you like that?"

Dobby's dinner-plate eyes widened to the size of carriage wheels. They glistened suspiciously. Talia desperately hoped that the little creature wouldn't start crying. She wasn't good with crying people...or creatures.

"Yous want to be friends with Dobby?" he asked amazed.

The two cousins shared a look and nodded emphatically.

Dobby's mouth hung open in disbelief.

"Dobby would be honoured to call Missus Turner and Master Halliwell friends!"

Talia grinned.

"In that case Dobby, please call us by our first names. I'm Talia and this is Wyatt."

Dobby looked at Talia as if she was the centre of his universe.

"Lead us to our rooms Dobby!" commanded a grinning Wyatt cheerfully.

And with that, the small group continued on their walk through the corridors of Hogwarts. Dobby was practically skipping with joy and the wide smile he wore, seemed as if it would never leave his face!

"I would have thought you'd be used to servants," whispered Wyatt to Talia, "you being a princess and all..."

Talia's lips formed into a thin, tight line.

"I'd be lying if I said that having servants wasn't fun. None of this 'clean your room' business! But I was never much for being waited on hand and foot." She smiled. "It gets damn annoying after a while!"

She chuckled.

"I rocked quite a few boats in my time," said the seventeen-year-old witch with a smug air that indicated immeasurable adventures in her past.

"I bet you have," answered Wyatt, good-naturedly, with a chuckle of his own.

And that's how it all started, remembered Wyatt; their summer in the wizarding world and at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

.

**A/N: **Is it just me, or are asterisks back? Review!


	9. Summer at Hogwarts

Err... I guess it's been a while, right? I feel like I owe you an apology. Other than my two week holiday without internet access, there was no real reason for taking a month-long break. Forgive me?

But I haven't been a complete waste of space. This is the longest chapter I have ever written! It really should be two or three different chapters, but I really couldn't work out where to cut it off. I also felt like I owed it to you after my absence.

So, in return of your loyalty (and if you're still reading this, you _must_ be loyal), I hereby present nearly fifteen pages for your reading pleasure.

_Ernie: Do. We. Have. Time. For. Thank. Yous?_

A smidgen of time Ernie, but we'll do our best.

_Ernie: Thank. Yous. Goes. To. **Charmedfanatic3000.**_

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Hey Alex! You're only too kind! I know all about mean computers.

_Ernie: Cough. Cough._

Present company excluded of course.

_Ernie: **Winter. Blaze.**_

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The trip was simply fantastic! Very relaxing. Is it any wonder that I've managed to knock up this monster of a chapter? I like Dobby too. He may make future appearances because of that.

_Ernie: Our. Old. Friend. **Ori******_

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Knowledge is power. One of my favourite quotes and entirely true. I believe it was Katherine Baker who said it. You've hit the nail on the head though. That's how Cole and Talia see it. And that's why Talia would be more than willing to learn all she can in the wizarding world. Talia and Wyatt _are_ different. But I like seeing them together. They understand each other and watch each other's backs. Talia teaches Wyatt all sorts of stuff about magic, combat, and shares her worldly wisdom with him, and he keeps her on the straight and narrow. Phoenixes are great, aren't they? I think it must be rather lonely for Fawkes sometimes. I thought it be rather nice to give him a new playmate.

_Ernie: **Mcgirl**_

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Thank you. I hope you like this next chapter. Not much happens in terms of storyline, but I had a blast writing it.

_Ernie: **Charmed. Rox.** __And.__ Her.__ Very. Good. Question._

Ah, I was waiting for someone to ask me that.

What happened to Chris? Well, you obviously haven't read the prequel to this then (it's called _Talia_ and you can find it in my author's account). When I started _Talia_, I had only watched up to Season 5 of the Charmed Series (Episodes _Oh My Goddess 1&2_). I hadn't known that Chris was Wyatt's brother then, so I kinda... got rid of him. It's worse than it sounds I'm afraid. It only took one little sentence in the second or third chapter claiming that the Charmed Ones, did not have a whitelighter anymore. With two half-whitelighters and an Elder in the family, they didn't need one. Leo checks in frequently with them. He felt it was the least he could do after the "Chris fiasco". I assumed that Chris was some sort of bad guy and had been dealt with, by then, and that was the end of that. It's a horrible inaccuracy and I hate myself for it. I suppose this makes the Talia Chronicles AU in very big way. Sorry!

_Ernie: **Bob-the-bear.**_

A short review is better than no review at all. can be... capricious, but it's letting us have fun with all these fandoms, and I can't help but feel grateful sometimes.

_Ernie: _**_Frances_**********

A love of bullies, huh? I don't know about that, but I'll have to agree in the case of Draco. Whether or not Talia ends up in Slytherin, there should be plenty of Draco involved. If I have any say in it at least.

_Ernie: **Melinda. Halliwell.**_

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I just have to say that I love you name! If you've read Talia, then I hope you enjoyed it just as much as this one. I know it's precisely one month since I updated... cringes! but I'm trying to make up for it with an extra long chapter. And as for Talia not trusting her mother, aunts and uncle... Well, she trusts them, just not as much as Wyatt or Cole.

They don't understand her you see. Leo and the Charmed Ones are great, but sometimes, it upsets me how they refuse to see that the world isn't made up by black and white, but shades of grey. Talia is as grey as you can get. Other than her knowledge of demons, they don't like any reference to her evil past. Much like when Cole was good. They'd rather turn a blind eye to it and believe that Talia was young and misguided when it all happened. They refuse to believe that darkness is part of her, just like they refused to see that Cole's demon side was part of what made him... well, Cole. Talia is one of them, and the knowledge that she's also part dark... it makes them uncomfortable, so they ignore her dark side. Take another look at the first chapter, I tried to show that in there. And being good all the time, well, it would drive Talia crazy! When she's in one of her 'moods', Talia disappears for few hours and does something wild. Nothing intrinsically evil of course, but something slightly bad that no goody-two-shoes would ever do: pick a fight with a bunch of tough guy bikers, drink in a rough bar, snog a stranger... But that is nothing to what she really feels like doing sometimes. The urge to kill when she's angry is pretty strong and it takes a lot of strong will to overcome it. Can you imagine what the Halliwells' reaction would be to knowing something like that? Or the fact that sometimes she simply can't be bothered to help an innocent at all and only Wyatt convinces her otherwise? Talia is and always will be tempted by the dark side. Wyatt knows that and is probably the only one that at times can hold her back. That's why she feels that she can't trust them completely. Definitely not with the full details of her past or her true feelings about certain things.

_Ernie: **Barb6.**_

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Rollercoaster ride? Trouble? You've no idea darling!

_Ernie: **Svata2004**_

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Tire of servants? Well, there are certainly times when I don't think it'd be possible either, but what about when you just want to be left alone? And I happen to find the total-servitude attitude of house elves in the Harry Potter books rather annoying. It is very probable that Talia would have had servants like Kreacher when she was younger. Some of them would probably be a tad more dignified of course, but wouldn't you be tired after a while too?

_Ernie:_ **_Chantedly_******

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Engaging writing style? There you go with the adjectives again! I'm flattered. I hope this rather large dose helps curb your withdrawal symptoms.

_Ernie: **Charmedchick11.**_

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Well... it depends what you mean by soon. Is a month too long to qualify as soon? Enjoy!

_Ernie: **Charmed148.**_

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I know what you mean. This story is a cross of two of _my_ favourite things too. Harry Potter and Charmed.

_Ernie: **Mixer.** The. Wonderful. Wonderful. Reviewer. That. Appreciates. Me._

Hey! You are absolutely right about the siren's call dark magic is to Talia. Check out my answer to **Melinda Halliwell** if you need further confirmation.

_Ernie: __And.__ Last. But. Certainly. Not. Least... **Songwithoutwordz******_

****

I'm very pleasantly surprised with the response I got for Dobby. In all honesty, the conversation between Talia, Wyatt and him was a last minute addition. I would have had him take them silently to their rooms and described their rooms instead, but I'm glad I changed it. But I'm still not giving anything away when it comes to the houses Tal and Wyatt will be sorted into!

-o()o-

An extra special thanks goes to... drum roll, please ...**Nightcrawler** of course! Thank you darling for a fantastically well done job, once again.

-o()o-

And now, I finally leave you with this marathon of a chapter.

-o()o-

****

**Chapter 9: Summer at Hogwarts**

Their summer lessons started the very next day, and Talia and Wyatt were shocked to find out just how many things they still had to learn about magic.

Following Dumbledore's instructions they kept their powers a secret even from the Professors. The Professors knew that they were Wiccans of course, but the exact nature of their powers and parentage was a secret that the headmaster, with Wyatt and Talia's consent, wasn't ready to share just yet. It made for a rather interesting first day, since, neither the students, nor the Professors, really knew quite what to expect. On one hand, the Professors were fascinated by the opportunity of teaching two Wiccans, and the two teenagers in turn, were fascinated with the magic world unfurled before them.

"And these are mandrake roots?" yelled Wyatt above the screeching of the bizarre plants Professor Sprout was handling.

"Yes," the Professor answered and was barely heard with all the noise the seedlings were making, "magical mandrake roots. Rather loud aren't they? They're too young to require us wearing ear muffs but, when fully grown, the screeching of these little things can prove quite lethal!"

"What do I do Professor?" asked a nearly panicking Talia who was holding an uprooted, particularly _loud_, mandrake root as far away from her as possible.

"Replant it, Miss Turner. Simply put it into the pot next to you and cover the root with ground!"

"Ouch!" yelled the brunette, dropping the mandrake.

"Careful!" cried Professor Sprout, her concern for the plant apparently greater than for her student.

Wyatt, in a spectacular display of excellent reflexes, caught the plant before it hit the ground.

"Well done, Mr. Halliwell," praised Professor Sprout, but her attention was entirely focused on examining the young plant for damage.

"The stupid thing bit me!" Talia said examining her painful finger.

Professor Sprout moved away from the plant to assume the classic telling off stance mothers and teachers around the world used when scolding their children or students.

"Miss Turner! Language please! And mandrake roots don't bite!"

Talia couldn't help but whine childishly.

"Well, it did!"

"Mandrake roots are second year material Miss Turner. You will have to do better than that if you plan to take Herbology at N.E.W.T. level."

Talia glared at a quietly sniggering Wyatt over Professor Sprout's shoulder.

"Yes Professor," she said resignedly, hoping that not all plants in Herbology were as hard to handle as Mandrake roots.

-o()o-

Talia decided that she liked Charms!

Wyatt most certainly agreed.

Professor Flitwick was positively delighted with his new students! They both seemed to have a tremendous affinity for Charms and that made the tiny professor almost giddy with joy. Their inane magical abilities ensured an extremely fast learning pace, the kind of which he had never seen before! Their fascination, delight and excitement, helped of course. Their first lesson was only supposed to last an hour and a half. It was already three hours after the lesson had started and to Professor Flitwick's amazement, Talia and Wyatt showed no signs of the exhaustion they should be showing after the torrent of magic they had performed in one afternoon. In fact, they seemed to be having so much fun trying out each and every spell, that Flitwick didn't have the heart to stop them!

Charm after charm, they performed them all to perfection after having witnessed only one, or at the most two, correct demonstrations. If one of them had a bit of trouble performing a certain charm, the other one immediately pointed out where they had gone wrong and helped them perfect it. Professor Flitwick hadn't seen anything quite like it before. He realised with a start that they had already finished the first four lessons he had planned for that summer, in a single time slot. Only then, when he had run out of planned lessons, did he bring their session to a close.

Talia and Wyatt thanked the tiny Professor profusely, telling him that they hadn't had so much fun in a long time. They walked out of the classroom laughing and joking with each other, leaving behind an utterly bemused Professor.

-o()o-

The door slammed open and Professor Snape burst into the classroom in his most dramatic entrance, his robes billowing around him.

Talia and Wyatt smiled at their new Professor, but it seemed to have no effect on the scowling Potions Master as he advanced to the head of the classroom before he turned to face them. His eyes were cold as he studied his two new students.

"My name is Professor Snape, and I am the Potions Master at Hogwarts. This summer I will be tutoring you in both Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts," he finally said.

Talia blinked. There was something strangely familiar about the man before her. Professor Snape's deep, velvety voice washed over her and despite its superior and cold tone, its vague familiarity had a soothingly effect on her.

"I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses…"

And then it hit her! She knew exactly who Professor Snape reminded her of! Xander, the upper level demon who, along with her father, had helped raise her in the Underworld.

She almost smiled with satisfaction at having made the connection.

The two men were practically opposites of each other in appearance. Xander's, aristocratic, grey hair, were in stark contrast to Snape's dark, lank and greasy, own. The demon that was her father's most trusted servant had cruel blue eyes, while Snape's were deep ebony. But something about Snape's gruffness, his demand of excellence, and the silky dangerous threat that underlined heavily his every word, greatly reminded her of her old teacher.

"Might I remind you that I am using up my entire summer holidays for your sake, so will you kindly _not_ waste my time?" His words were clipped, precise. He didn't waste his breath. "I expect all assignments to be done and handed in at the appropriate times. I also expect you to carry out large amounts of background reading. From what I understand, you have many things to learn about the wizarding world, and I, for one, do not intend to waste my valuable time, teaching you things that most children in year _four_ already know, when you are supposed to join years six and seven in September!"

Silence followed his speech. Wyatt threw Talia a rather fearful look, but the Princess of the Underworld was determined not to let this new, certainly formidable, teacher, intimidate her.

"Sir...?" Talia started, even as she raised her hand in the air. She wanted to tell him that they did in fact have an extensive knowledge in potions, courtesy of Piper and the constant demon fighting they had been subjected to, back home.

"If you need the bathroom Miss Turner," Professor Snape smirked, "you should have gone before the lesson started. As it is, it appears that you have to exercise some control over your bowels until the end of this lesson."

Talia put her hand down with a disbelieving look on her face. Wyatt looked at her with a strange mixture of sympathy and amusement.

"We are going to start this lesson with a written test to show me what exactly it is, _if anything_, that you know with regards to Potions."

Talia glared at the Potions Master, not having forgiven him for his previous insult. Wyatt simply looked resigned. With a careless wave of his wand, the tests appeared on Snape's two newest students' desks. With one, last, shared, miserable look, Talia and Wyatt bent over their tests.

Watching them frantically scribble on their parchments with their quills, Professor Snape allowed himself a self-satisfied, rather smug, smirk.

-o()o-

"I used to like Potions," confessed Wyatt over his Potions homework, "I'm not sure I do anymore."

Talia wasn't quite so quick to judge by first appearances. She frowned, biting the end of her quill thoughtfully before speaking. Quill-chewing was a brand new, and strangely satisfying, habit of hers.

"I admit that Professor Snape's not exactly the most pleasant of men..."

Wyatt threw her a look of disbelief. Talia ignored him.

"...but he seemed to at least know what he was talking about. He may have a rather unorthodox way of teaching, but it might actually be seriously worth paying attention in his class," she finished determinately.

"I don't care what you say," whined Wyatt, throwing his own quill hard on top of his half filled parchment. "This homework's impossible! If it wasn't for Mom's lessons and the Book of Shadows, I'd have never been able to follow a single thing today in class! And this was only the first lesson!" complained the blond boy.

Talia looked appropriately sympathetic. She sighed in resignation and scooted over to look at his parchment.

"I've already done my Potions homework. Maybe I can help. Where are you stuck?"

-o()o-

"Good morning Miss Turner," said Professor Dumbledore cheerfully, as he breezed into the brightly lit classroom.

"Good morning Professor," greeted Talia with a grin.

"I assume Mr. Halliwell is currently at his Care of Magical Creatures lesson with Hagrid?"

"Yes sir, he is. Are _you_ going to be tutoring me in Ancient Runes then, sir?" Talia asked as the old wizard settled himself at the teacher's desk in front of her.

"I am, Miss Turner. Unfortunately, Professor Leontes is currently somewhere in Mesopotamia tracking down some artefact or other, and cannot be reached. He will be back by September, of course. Meanwhile, I will do my best to be of service." He smiled and his blue eyes twinkled.

-o()o-

But as it turned out, contrary to numerous books in the Hogwarts library, and the speculation of the entire wizarding world, there was something that Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore was _not_ very good at. And it just so happened that that something happened to be, Ancient Runes.

-o()o-

"Err... Professor, I think those runes mean _'green pasture', _not _'spleen rapture'_..." said Talia. She thanked her lucky stars for her previous education in Ancient Runes at Xander's more capable hands.

"Are you sure Miss Turner?" asked Dumbledore, scratching his head under his wizard's hat and tilting the book to the side, hoping perhaps that this would help clarify things for him.

Thankfully, his abysmal skills at reading the difficult script did little to dampen his spirits.

"I'm pretty sure Professor," Talia said amusedly. "The passage is written in runes based on ancient Greek. You see that little symbol there? It means '_livadi_' which is translated in English as-"

"Pasture," he finished for her. "Yes of course, I see it now. How silly of me…" His lips twitched in a sheepish grin. "And here I thought I was the teacher here..."

"I was just lucky, sir," Talia said graciously. "I happen to speak Greek. It's easier when one knows the language."

"You speak Greek? Really...? How fascinating! So do I. Do you read and write it too?" Dumbledore seemed positively delighted.

Talia nodded.

"My father taught me when I was little," she said it cautiously, checking to see Dumbledore's reaction. Dumbledore knew exactly who her father was, but would he, like the Halliwells, feel uncomfortable at her mentioning him? This was her test for him.

Dumbledore passed it with flying colours. There was no awkwardness like there was with her aunts, no pitying looks like there were with Leo, and she didn't feel guilty mentioning Cole to him, as she did with her mother. He didn't even seem to have any questions about the Ruler of the Underworld, like Wyatt did! Dumbledore simply nodded in understanding, seemingly seeing nothing out of the ordinary with her statement. He continued on with the conversation, unperturbed.

"Everything you ever learn will come in useful at some time or other in your life. I speak from experience. Learning how to speak different languages has always been easy for me, but learning how to read and write those languages was a whole different matter. I can speak 183 different languages, but I've only ever learnt how to read and write English, Latin and a rather rare form of Ancient Celtic."

It was later decided that Talia would be better off if Dumbledore simply gave her a list of topics he had intended to cover, and she just got on with studying Ancient Runes on her own. The headmaster promised her that he would arrange things with Madam Pince so that Talia could take any book she wanted from the library, even if that book belonged in the Restricted Section. Dumbledore secretly doubted that the Phoenix would find there anything worse than what she'd already seen in her short life. Madam Pince was a bit of a stickler for these kinds of things, but even she couldn't argue with a note personally signed by the Headmaster.

-o()o-

Talia knocked gently on the opened door.

"Professor McGonagall?" she enquired politely.

Professor McGonagall abandoned the quill she had been writing with, and looked up to meet Talia's eager eyes.

"Come in Miss Turner. What can I do for you?"

"Professor, I know I've decided not take Transfiguration, but I found something in one of the library books and I was wondering if you could help me understand it a little better."

Professor McGonagall smiled encouragingly at the brunette.

"Of course, Miss Turner."

Talia spread a book open on Professor McGonagall's desk. The book was open on the first page of the chapter on animagi.

"From what I understand, Professor, animagi are witches or wizards that can take some sort of animal form at will."

"That's correct Miss Turner."

"Can anyone become an animagus?"

McGonagall narrowed her eyes at the girl before her.

"No. It is rather rare in fact. For a wizard to become an animagus, they must have considerable magical ability, and in particular, a talent for transfiguration. Even then, only after gruelling training are they likely to get anywhere. The whole process has been known to last years."

Talia looked very thoughtful at that.

"So, nobody could just, lets say, stumble on to it, could they?"

She had been hoping to find out more about her own alter ego, the Phoenix.

Talia hadn't come to this world like every other little boy and girl. Talia had gone on her first great adventure while Phoebe was still pregnant with her. During that adventure, and in a subconscious response to outside threat, the unborn Talia had destroyed the entire hierarchy of the Underworld and, very nearly, herself.

It was Cole, Talia's father, that had rescued her from the Demonic Wasteland. He had taken the life essence of his unborn child out of the Wasteland and captured it in the Crystal of Life. When the time was right, Talia literally exploded into the world in flashes of blinding light and sharp shards of magical crystal.

But the Crystal had given her more than the invaluable gift of life. The Crystal's symbol was the Phoenix; the majestic fire-bird that rose out of its own ashes signifying the endless cycle of life and death. The Crystal had given Talia the power to transform into the Phoenix at will. As far as Talia had always known, she was the only person in the entire world with that ability.

McGonagall's lips twitched at Talia's question, in what threatened to be an indulgent smile, but she caught it in time. She shook her head vigorously.

"Stumble on to it? That would be impossible."

Talia felt a twitch of disappointment but refused to show it.

"And do you know how old the youngest animagus was, professor?"

Talia had discovered her own phoenix side when she was three. She herself couldn't remember it, but Xander, her father's most trusted advisor and her own surrogate uncle, had the scars to prove it.

McGonagall smiled, caught in the past.

"I do believe the youngest known animagus was thirteen at the time. She was a student here, years ago. She was an illegal animagus for a while, but the story came out when one of the professors witnessed her transformation. Her name was Minerva McGonagall."

Talia's eyes widened.

"You?"

"Yes."

"May I ask what your animagus form is Professor?"

"I am a ginger-coloured cat, Miss Turner."

She paused thoughtfully.

"Professor, what did you mean by illegal animagus?"

Professor McGonagall seemed embarrassed at this. She hadn't meant to let the fact that Albus Dumbledore, the, then new, Transfiguration teacher, had caught her breaking a law, slip.

"An animagus is required to register with the Ministry of Magic by law. Their name, their animal, and any identifying marks, are kept on record. I..." and here McGonagall actually looked flustered, "was young. I thought it would be fun to walk around the school unnoticed."

Talia nodded thoughtfully.

"What about magical animals, professor? A phoenix, for example. Do animagi express the same magical powers as the animal of their animagus form when they're transformed?" she asked, thinking of all the phoenix tears that she had always been careful to collect, on those rare occasions she had cried. Considering the lack of medical care in the Underworld, the Source had found them particularly useful.

"Animagi, Miss Turner, never take the form of magical animals. It just doesn't happen. You see, a magical animal has magic of its own. Every magical creature, including a wizard or witch, has a magical signature, a magical fingerprint, if you like. It is impossible to forge such a signature. Therefore, a witch or wizard can never transform into another magical creature."

The book on animagi that she had found in the school library had been both a blessing and a curse. She had hoped that there were other people like her out there, people that could turn into another creature at will. Maybe, just maybe, Talia thought, if there were other people out there with her ability, she wouldn't be quite the freak most people who knew the truth about her, had labelled her. Perhaps if she found others with her 'gift' she wouldn't be an 'abomination', but simply 'rare' or, if she was really lucky, merely 'unusual'. In that regard at least. Her little discussion with Professor McGonagall had erased those hopes.

Talia frowned. She opened her mouth to say something else, but cut herself short before she did.

"Professor? Could it be possible that I get back to you on this conversation, after I've had some time to think about it?"

Professor McGonagall was surprised.

"Yes, of course, Miss Turner. That is why we are here after all."

"Thank you Professor," the brunette answered smiling distractedly.

And with that, she picked up her book and left the classroom, leaving behind a rather confused professor who kept thinking she had just missed something important.

-o()o-

Lessons continued as the weeks passed and Talia and Wyatt found it relatively easy to fall into a rather busy routine. Their curiosity and willingness to learn often took the Professors by surprise.

-o()o-

"Good morning Professor," greeted Talia politely.

"Miss Turner," Professor McGonagall greeted her with a small smile as they passed each other in the corridor.

Talia took a couple more steps forward, before stopping and turning back.

"Professor? If you have some time on your hands, do you think you could help me with a certain spell I'm trying to learn?" she said walking next to her.

"I'll be glad to be of any assistance if I can, Miss Turner," Professor McGonagall said, standing still to talk to the brunette. "This isn't about animagi transformations again, is it?" she asked suspiciously.

"No, Professor. I'm afraid, I've had to give up on that," announced Talia sadly. "It's the _Tranvespis_ spell, Professor. I found it in one of the library books the other day and I've been trying to do it ever since, but I seem to be doing something wrong and I can't get it to work."

"Ah yes," smiled the Professor, "the _Tranvespis_ spell. A very useful spell, indeed! You do know what it does Miss Turner...?"

"It transfigures any item of clothing into any other item of clothing you want, if you can picture the transformation clearly enough in you head."

"Very good Miss Turner."

Talia smiled.

"I don't know why anyone in the wizarding world bothers with shopping for clothes if they can transfigure any clothes they want whenever they feel like it. I have a friend back home that would kill for this spell!" she said, thinking of Judy.

"Not many people are terribly skilled at it Miss Turner. The last thing one wants is for their outfit to literally fall apart in the middle of a dinner party. Show me how you perform the spell."

"Now? Here?"

"There's no time like the present, Miss Turner."

Talia smiled sheepishly at the stern Transfiguration teacher and concentrated on the matter at hand. She looked at the drab, black robe she and Wyatt were forced to wear during lessons at Professor Snape's insistence, and thought of a pair of shorts and a t-shirt she owned, that were securely locked upstairs in her trunk. She moved her wand through the motion she had seen in a diagram of a library book and said the incantation.

Nothing happened.

"Hmm... I can see what it is that you're doing wrong Miss Turner. Keep you elbow in. You have the pronunciation of the spell right, but it's the wand movement that's giving you trouble. It's not quite so flamboyant. Let me demonstrate."

With a flick and a swish of Professor McGonagall's wand, Talia's summer sandals she wore, changed into sensible black pumps.

"To change them back," continued the Professor pointing her wand at Talia's feet, "a simple _Finite Incatatum_ will suffice."

Talia's sandals returned.

Talia had observed the Professor carefully and was about to attempt the spell when the Transfiguration teacher stopped her.

"Don't be disappointed if it doesn't work first time round, Miss Turner. I wouldn't have expected you to learn this spell simply from reading about it in a book. And even after demonstration, it usually takes quite a while for people to master this spell."

Talia nodded and attempted the spell anyway.

Seconds later, a happy Talia walked the Hogwarts corridors clad in a pair of shorts, a t-shirt and sandals.

Professor McGonagall had stared after her, when Talia had achieved the spell almost effortlessly in her first try after the demonstration. It was a fourth year spell and as far as the professor knew, the girl had never been taught Transfiguration before. The only students she had ever had, to achieve that spell with their first try, were James Potter and Hermione Granger, and both of them were extremely talented in Transfiguration. It was a shame that Talia had decided not to take her class.

-o()o-

The professors watched in amazement the spectacular progress that the two cousins made in their classes. It was incredible how they both seemed to absorb knowledge like sponges so that they were learning years-worth of knowledge in weeks.

Which is not to say that they weren't having any fun that summer... The large castle and its grounds begged to be explored, and explore it Talia and Wyatt did. The magical world unfolded in front of their youthful eyes and they couldn't get enough of it!

They started every day in the exact way they had been accustomed to: with their early morning combat training. But even _that _was slightly more relaxed than it was back home, despite Talia's half-hearted grumbling. A hearty breakfast with the Professors followed. Wyatt would never tell his mother, but he honestly thought that Hogwarts food could give her cooking a run for its money. The rest of the mornings were reserved for lessons, and afternoons were spent doing homework and the extra studying Talia insisted on, to Wyatt's dismay. It wasn't as bad as it sounded. The grounds were a constant source of delight, and the two cousins spent many a warm afternoon studying by the lake.

But studying wasn't the only thing that filled their days and Wyatt's grim predictions of a summer spent doing nothing but working, proved completely unfounded. The lake also made a superb and most interesting, swimming pool. To everyone's mystification, Wyatt had gotten friendly with the Giant Squid, and Talia discovered that her telekinetic power worked under water when, a creature that, after checking his Care of Magical Creatures book Wyatt informed her was called a grindilow, tried to attack her.

That was also the summer they learnt how to fly.

It was Professor McGonagall who suggested they try out the school broomsticks. The strict Professor seemed to be particularly taken with Talia, even though neither of the Halliwells took her class. To Madam Pomfrey's horror, Talia and Wyatt had chosen to learn by trial and error and, to her disbelief, seemed to have all the more fun for it. For the first time in years, she had been actually kept relatively busy in the long summer holiday.

-o()o-

Hagrid found in Wyatt a keen assistant, and Talia always joined them on their occasional journey to the Forbidden forest, despite Professor McGonagall's protests.

She had gotten lost on one of those occasions, and was later found by her annoyed cousin and a nearly frantic Hagrid, talking to a centaur with auburn hair and beard, and a chestnut coat. Ronan had found her wondering alone in the forest. She was startled to see him, but not afraid. He spoke with respect, introducing himself, and claimed to have seen her coming, in the stars. He refused to call her anything other than, Lady of the Dark, even when she had asked him to call her simply Talia. It hadn't bothered her at first. She was used to grand titles. But Hagrid's eyes widened when he overheard this. Talia felt acutely uncomfortable for the first time since she'd come to Hogwarts. It was Wyatt, of course, who tried to diffuse the situation.

"I don't believe we've met," he said smiling disarmingly at the centaur and extending his hand in greeting. "My name's Wyatt Halliwell."

Ronan turned his intense gaze from Talia to her cousin.

"The young king," he said in greeting, "your coming has been foretold too."

The two cousins shared an uncomfortable look as they both thought of Wyatt's rather unique sword, hidden safely under his mattress back at the castle, and only brought out for early morning sword practice.

"You must be mistaken," tried Wyatt.

"No mistake," said Ronan, looking at the stars above. He looked back at the two teenagers. Talia and Wyatt had moved closer together and both seemed ready to fight if they had to. "Use your powers well, my lord, my lady," he bowed his head slightly to them in a formal goodbye, "Hagrid," he said as he passed the big man, and was gone.

An awkward silence descended in the small clearing they had been standing in.

"Listen, Hagrid..." Wyatt tried to explain helplessly. He didn't know what it was that he had been about to say, but Hagrid interrupted him.

"You two 'ave yer secrets. But if Dumbledore trusts yeh, then so do I. Yeh don't 'ave teh explain nothin' unless yeh wanta," he said in a gruff voice.

Wyatt and Talia were grateful, and they had all gone back to the castle in companionable silence.

-o()o-

Evenings were spent exploring the main building. There were thousands of secret passages and rooms to discover and the Halliwell cousins revelled in doing so, to the disgust of Filch, the caretaker, and his cat Mrs. Norris. Come term time, students would have a curfew and Filch would be well within his rights to give them detentions for that. But term hadn't started yet and Talia and Wyatt were free to explore to their hearts' content at all hours of the night.

-o()o-

Professor Snape walked into the small classroom, his voluminous robes once again billowing dramatically around him. Talia and Wyatt sat up attentively for their Defense Against the Dark Arts class, a class they both enjoyed despite the professor who taught it.

"Today we will be studying dementors," he announced without preamble. "How much do you actually know about dementors Mr. Halliwell, Miss Turner?"

Talia and Wyatt shared a look, and then stared back up at Professor Snape. It was Talia who spoke.

"I'm sorry, Professor," she said, "We've never heard of dementors before."

Talia was pretty sure she had heard Xander and her Father mention them in passing, but hard as she tried, she couldn't remember anything about them.

Professor Snape scowled then nodded.

"I didn't think you would. Wiccans live with muggles, and dementors tend to stay away from muggles. Besides, I don't believe they're very common in... America," said the Professor with disdain before turning to the blackboard.

Wyatt rolled his eyes behind his back and Talia grinned.

"Dementors are creatures that literally suck the happiness out of any living thing."

There was shocked silence at the Professor's pronouncement.

"Lovely!" muttered Talia finally under her breath.

Snape glared at her in annoyance. No matter what he did, this chit of a girl just never looked afraid of him. He was beginning to think that he was losing his touch...

"For a picture of a dementor please turn to page 361 of your books."

Talia and Wyatt followed his instructions.

"The presence of a dementor is marked by the sense of cold that grips its victims during an attack. And there is usually more than one of them when they _do _attack. They are drawn to sorrow, feed off grief. Anyone in the presence of a dementor is forced to relive their worst memories. Overcome by such intense emotions conjured up by their past, many people are too slow to react, to defend themselves against the dementor or even to run away.

"A dementor's most infamous attack is the Dementor's Kiss. Do not be deceived by its name. This is actually when the victim's soul is sucked right out of them until the body becomes nothing but an empty shell."

Talia and Wyatt were twisted in identical expressions of morbid fascination.

"The wizarding world uses dementors as guards for our prison, Azkaban."

"Wait a minute! Do you mean to tell me that you allow creatures like that, to walk around free?"

"Not exactly, Mr. Halliwell," Snape said coldly, rather irritated by Wyatt's interruption.

"Azkaban is a terrible place, feared by all wizards, much more than muggle prison is feared by muggles. That is where the dementors are confined. It is the dementors that make Azkaban so dreadful."

He carefully omitted to mention the dementors' revolt of two years ago. Dumbledore had asked all his Professors not to mention anything to do with Voldemort to the young Wiccans, until the school year officially started. If Snape didn't know any better, he'd think that it was because the Headmaster feared that Talia and Wyatt would refuse to attend the school if they knew the state the wizarding world was currently in. But why did Dumbledore want these two at Hogwarts in the first place? Something fishy was going on, and Snape was determined to find out what it was.

"Imagine feeling cold, all the time; forced to relive your very worst memories over and over again. Having the happiest of your thoughts torn violently out of your mind bit, by bit, until there's practically nothing human left of you. That's what Azkaban is all about."

Talia whistled appreciatively.

Professor Snape looked momentarily surprised, before he schooled his features back into their customary scowl. No one had ever dared do that before in one of his lessons.

"A person could go mad in a place like that."

"Yes, they could," agreed Professor Snape coldly. "And many of them do, Miss Turner.

"But you must remember that an evil wizard is much more powerful than an evil muggle. The damage and pain they can inflict, is of a much greater degree and the punishment must be worthy of the crime."

"You sound as if you approve of this Professor," mused Wyatt.

Snape sneered.

"Whether or not I approve of the use of dementors in Azkaban is irrelevant to our lesson, Mr. Halliwell.

"Dementors can only be defeated by one thing and one thing only. A difficult spell called a patronus.

"The incantation, _Expecto Patronum_," he enunciated carefully, "and the wand movement, are easy enough. The difficulty lies in the thought and power behind the spell. For a patronus to work one must think of the happiest thoughts and memories they can conjure up, and channel them all into their wand. A simple patronus will look like nothing more than a wisp of silvery smoke. It may or may not be effective. A corporeal patronus is infinitely better.

"A corporeal patronus means that the aforementioned silvery smoke takes a solid form. The form of a corporeal patronus differs from caster to caster, and is connected to the individual who created it. Observe."

Professor Snape pointed his wand in front of him and spoke in a level voice.

"_Expecto Patronum_"

A wisp of smoke materialised from the edge of his wand and formed into a silver snake coiled on the floor. Snape noticed with great satisfaction, that Talia's and Wyatt's eyes widened with appreciation. Snape smirked.

"My patronus, as you can see, is a snake. Your turn," he said.

Talia and Wyatt looked at each other and stood up.

"_Expecto Patronum,_" they both said.

A wisp of silvery smoke came out of Wyatt's wand. Talia's didn't even do that. She glared dejectedly at it.

"Miss Turner, must I repeat myself?" asked the Potion Master's irritated voice. "Think happy thoughts! You too, Mr. Halliwell. You are both powerful enough for a corporeal patronus, you must concentrate."

Yes, thought Snape, as rare as it was, he felt that the two students had both the high magical and mental abilities required, for the creation of a corporeal patronus. He vaguely wondered what their patronuses would look like.

Truthfully, he didn't honestly expect either of them to master this very advanced magic today, but Snape kept that thought to himself. He'd get them there eventually.

To his surprise however, he only had to wait about an hour before proof of his student's extraordinary talent manifested itself before him.

Wyatt closed his eyes. He thought of Judy the day she told him she loved him. They had gone on a picnic, just the two of them. Talia's suggestion, in fact. They had sandwiches lying down on a blanket on the grass, orange juice, and they bought ice cream from the ice cream truck. For once, nothing magical or unusual happened, and he didn't have to make excuses and dash away in a hurry. They had laughed, and they had kissed, and he told her he loved her. She had smiled and said she loved him too.

A wide smile spread over Wyatt's face thinking of that. Holding on to the picture of a smiling Judy, Wyatt tried again.

"_Expecto Patronum_."

To his surprise and utter delight a beautiful, silver creature with the body of a feline and the head and wings of a bird of prey, burst from his wand. A gryphon. The animal whose claw was the core of his wand. Wyatt was pleased.

Talia was envious. She'd only managed to produce the tiniest wisp of smoke.

Professor Snape was very, very surprised at Wyatt. It had taken Professor Severus Snape about a week to learn how to produce a corporeal patronus and he was a powerful wizard of extraordinary mental abilities. His Occlumency and Legilimency skills were legendary. It took some people months, and most never managed to produce a corporeal patronus in a lifetime. This young man had produced a corporeal patronus practically in his first attempt!

Albus had said that these new students were very powerful. Most Wiccans were. In the last month, he had seen it himself, over and over again. But Snape felt that there was more to it than that. These two children were very powerful, even for Wiccans. Power radiated off them in waves when they forgot to consciously turn it down. Anyone with a smidgen of magical talent could feel it. And even though both seemed very friendly and open, Snape often felt as if they hid something about themselves. And he had a feeling that that something, wasn't just they're powers.

Dumbledore had insisted remain a secret. Dumbledore claimed that it was a matter of privacy. That the two Wiccans hardly needed more attention drawn to them. Snape scowled. He vowed to pay even closer attention to his new students.

"Not bad, Mr. Haliwell. Not bad at all..." he said. Coming from him, that was the highest form of flattery a student would ever expect to receive. Wyatt realised that, and appreciated it for what it was. He grinned in response. "Come on Miss Turner, we don't have all day!"

Talia scowled back at him.

Snape was taken aback. He was rather accustomed to be the only one who did any scowling where there was scowling to be done.

"I'm trying Professor! Honestly I am!" she sounded exasperated Snape noticed with some pleasure frustrated. "I think my wand's broken," she said, shaking the blasted thing around.

Golden sparks flew out of her wand and Professor Snape only just managed to jump out of their way. He scowled at her again and she smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry Professor."

If one of them can do it, he decided, then both of them can. Snape knew that the patronus was a combination of magic abilities and the correct frame of mind. The girl obviously had no problem with magical ability, so everything pointed to some sort of mental difficulty, a mental block.

"Mr. Halliwell, keep practicing your patronus. Miss Turner, might I have a word?"

Talia sighed and, to a sympathising look from Wyatt, moved closer to Snape.

"Miss Turner, you and I both know that you are more than capable of conjuring up a corporeal patronus. Can you tell me why you are having so much difficulty with this spell?"

Talia shook her head.

"I really am trying Professor."

Snape said nothing. He merely looked at her for a while.

Talia felt something prickling her subconscious. It wasn't painful, or even annoying, it was just the presence of something, or someone, in the fringes of her mind. She tried concentrating on it and it disappeared. She relaxed and felt it again.

"Stop that!" she said in a firm, cold voice.

Professor Snape looked surprised once again, for what seemed like the millionth time that summer. The change that came over her had been incredibly sudden.

"Stop what?" he enquired.

"Whatever it is you're doing. Trying to read my mind." She hadn't raised her voice, but her eyes were cold and hard.

Snape's eyebrow flew upwards once again.

"You _felt_ that?"

She nodded curtly.

"Don't do it again. I don't like it," she hissed. "What is it anyway?"

"Legilimency. It's a mind reading technique. Most people can't even feel me in their mind."

"Why?"

He understood her meaning perfectly and did not pretend he hadn't.

"I thought that you might be having a mental block preventing you from creating a corporeal patronus. I was trying to find a happy memory you could use. I was trying to help," he said curtly, unpleasantly even.

Talia thought of all the things the professor would see if he delved into her mind. She barely suppressed a shudder at the thought.

"If I do have some sort of mental barrier, Professor, then I'm sure there are other ways to overcome it. I would very much prefer not to have you probing around in my mind," she said, and turned round to continue her practising.

Her tone was cold, commanding. Snape knew he had been out of line trying to use Legilimency on her, even if he had been honestly just trying to help. He didn't think she would've felt it though... She wasn't trained in Occlumency, he was sure of that. But then, how could she have felt him probing her mind? He took another look at the young witch. Snape was a man who prided himself on being very difficult to impress. But he had to admit that with every lesson he became more and more impressed with his two students. He thought back to the moment she had commanded him to leave her alone. Perhaps it was a trick of the light, but he could have sworn that she looked almost...regal standing there. He shook his head to clear it. When he looked back at her, all he saw was a slight girl of seventeen with dark hair and eyes.

He blinked in confusion. How did she _do_ that?

"_Expectopatronumexpectopatronumexpectopatronum__," _he heard her mumbling over and over again.

He smirked at her frustration. The evil-dungeon-dwelling-bat-of-a-teacher façade, firmly back in place.

"That's not helping, Miss Turner."

She scowled at him again.

"I can see that!"

His smirk widened.

A surreptitious glance told him that Wyatt was practising his own patronus. He was currently making his silver Gryphon fly around the classroom. He wasn't paying any attention to them.

"Miss Turner, close your eyes please."

Talia looked dubious, but complied.

"Relax," his voice was suddenly soft, velvety, taking a soothing quality to it rarely ever heard by any of his students. "Open your mind. Think of all the times that you've ever laughed. Cast your mind back to when you were at your happiest. When you felt as if you hadn't a care in the world... That single moment that you could stay stuck in, for eternity, and it wouldn't matter that you did, because there would be nothing else that you could ever possibly want."

Talia pictured herself at five years old. She was on a golden beach. She was chasing Cole, trying to catch him with her outstretched, childish arms. It had been one of the last times that she had allowed herself to be the child she was, growing up. At that moment, she wasn't the Princess of All Evil and she had yet to receive most of her powers. Cole was laughing. So was she. He swept her up in his big strong arms and placed her on his shoulders and they walked the beach while she talked excitedly about the starfish she had seen earlier in the day.

Snape saw the young girl smile.

"Hold on to that image and open your eyes," he told her. "Now try the incantation again."

"_Expecto patronum._"

A silvery phoenix erupted from Talia's wand. Talia squealed in delight and Wyatt grinned. Snape's eyebrow flew up for what seemed like the hundredth time that lesson. Both of his new students had managed to do what took many older and more experienced wizards weeks and months (if ever!) to do, in a day.

"What else would it be?" her cousin teased as they watched the phoenix fly around the room once, before it faded away. She elbowed him in the ribs.

"Keep practicing," said Professor Snape sharply, turning his attention back to the lesson.

He saw Talia nod to him briefly in thanks for his help. It was a thank you between equals and, funnily enough, he didn't feel insulted by it.

There was definitely something strange about his new students and he intended to find out what. Albus had some questions to answer.

-o()o-

**A/N: **Next chapter will be dedicated to anyone who guesses what Ronan is talking about when he looks at Wyatt, and what the extra special sword currently under Wyatt's mattress is. Thanks & don't forget to review!


	10. The Day Snape Almost Smiled

I can but apologise.

Over, and over, and over again.

I really hadn't meant to take as long as I did to update, but, between fanfiction, life happens. I'd like to say it won't happen again, but you and I know, it probably will. I'm not quite as bad as other authors though, so you won't be too harsh on me, will you?

_Ernie: __And.__ As. For. Thanks..._

I'm sorry Ernie. We don't have much time for them. Listing those wonderful people that reviewed the next chapter is the best we can do. By know, I just want to get this chapter out before the death threats come rolling in! So take it away Ernie…!

_Ernie: Thanks. Go. To. **Winter.**** Blaze.**_

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Wyatt isn't meant to be the king of the world per say, I don't think... But he is going to be the next King Arthur. King of the Magical World, sounds more like it. And he's got the opportunity to choose his knights and create his own form of Camelot. Perhaps that means reshaping the entire magical world? Anyway, that's how I see it!

_Ernie: **Ori**_

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I'm pretty fond of my Dumbledore. A bit of an eccentric genius and though he may act strange, we're all constantly aware of powerful he is. Thank J. K. Rowling for creating him. I tried to keep him as close to cannon as I could. The Hermione knowing 'Halliwell' was actually a thought that occurred to me, but I got a way round that. You'll just have to wait and see. She's my favourite witch in HP too. And as for Dramione, you're talking to someone who definitely understands the lure. I'm a fan too. I doubt they'll be any Dramione in this, but I most certainly do have plans for both of them.

_Ernie: **Charmedchik11.**_

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Thank you. I'm trying to keep as many aspects of the HP world as true to cannon as possible, but the great thing about J. K. Rowling's world, is that, it's open to personal interpretation, so the way I see things, may not be the same way others do. You'll just have to keep reading to find out.

_Ernie: Our. Old. Friend. **Chantedly**_.

Snape's one of my favourite HP characters (one of many!). I couldn't not include him. You see some more of him here. Enjoy!

_Ernie: **Anime. No. Megami.**_

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Hey, are you new? Thanks for your kind words, keep reading please!

_Ernie: __And.__ The. One. Person. Who. Appreciates. __Me.__ **Mixer.**_**__**

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As you can see, Ernie's grateful, and so am I. If I was the blushing kind, I would blush reading all the praise you've given me! I love your reviews and I just hope that this chapter (and all the rest) will really be up to my "incredible standards of writing", as you so eloquently put it. And as for your Phoenix question, I haven't really decided yet, if Talia's alter ego will play a bigger part in this, but I'm looking into it.

_Ernie: **Mickis**_

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All these compliments...! I almost don't know what to do with them! (Feel free to keep them coming!) Welcome back to the neighbourhood!

_Ernie: **Songwithoutworz**_

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I know what you mean. I'm just about ready for September myself, but there's a few things that have to happen before that. Foreshadowing in the plot, relationships established, allies met, and all that jazz. You'll just have to be a little bit patient, I'm afraid.

_Ernie: **Kara.**_

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Another new reviewer? There's a bit more of Snape in here, though perhaps not quite what you were expecting...? I think you'll enjoy it anyway!

_Ernie: **Charmed148.**_

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If only magic were real! /Sigh/ We can but dream!

...And keep our minds open to the endless possibilities that are out there. It sounds cliché, I know, but I think there's magic all around us, and we're just too busy with our puny little lives to realise it. When was the last time any of us ever watched a sunset, or even better, a sunrise? I think there's magic in a good story, a beautiful painting, a kiss, a sparkle in someone's eye... Sure, it may not be as impressive as the 'real' thing, but it's there if any of us care to look. And who knows, there really might be an HP type of world out there that we, poor muggles that we are, just don't know about. J. K. R. might be a squib, or a disgraced witch, that is writing down what is simply common knowledge to her people, changing perhaps, names, dates and places. It could happen... I hold that anything could.

_Ernie: **Lurkerjenny**Who's. Graced. Us. With. Evidence. Of. Her. Cntinued. Presence. Once. Again._

Hey! It's great to hear from you again! What happened to lurking in the shadows? I assure you, I don't hate you at all. With compliments like yours, how could I? I can but try not to let you down.

_Ernie: **Nexos23.**_

****

There's no fooling you is there? There are people worse than me at updating, honest! But I'm really honoured by your kind words. Talia is real as a character because she really is real in my disturbed little mind. Please keep reading...

_Ernie: __And.__ Last. But. Definitely. Not. Least. **The.**** Lady. Of. The. **_**_Lake_********__**

****

Most definitely not least. That was a wonderful review. And you're much more accurate on Wyatt than I could be without checking. You must be a new reviewer, right? I'm pretty sure I would've remembered you, with a name like that! I'll try to be worthy of thy patronage, milady.

Good grief! What happened to simply listing the thank-yous? I just love you guys so much, that once I start, it's difficult to stop.

Yes, the sword mentioned in the last chapter was Excalibur. Practically everyone got that though, so I guess it came as no surprise. As mentioned by the **Lady Of the Lake**, our resident expert on Excalibur, courtesy of her name and knowledge, the episode of _Charmed_ called _The Sword and the City_ in Season Six, had Piper accepting Excalibur as Lady of the Lake, so that she could give it to Wyatt, the next King Arthur, when he was old enough. In my story, when Talia started giving Wyatt sword fighting lessons to hone his fighting skills, it was only fair that Piper, reluctantly, gave him the sword. Wyatt still hasn't created his Camelot, but he is definitely being taught how to use Excalibur by Talia, who's pretty fascinated by it too. Who better to teach a man how to be king, than a princess? And that, to try and answer your question **Ori** probably makes her some kind of Merlin. Teacher of Arthur and all that jazz. But without the age difference. Or the beard. Or the fact that it was she that brought about Wyatt's birth (how could she, she was just a baby). My guess is, that when Wyatt comes into his birthright, he's going to want Talia by his side, like Merlin was by Arthur's.

One last thing before I let you get on with the chapter. I couldn't have done it without the honourable Mr. **Nightcrawler**. I praise thee to the heavens and back for your fascinating feedback, friend.

And yes, I do realise I'm talking funny, but you've no idea what kind of reading material is claiming my attention these days. On with the story!

****

**Chapter 10: The day Snape almost smiled**

"Today we will be trying out your patronuses," Professor Snape announced.

The two students' eyes widened.

"Sir," Talia started, "you can't possibly mean that we'll try them out against real dementors!"

Snape sneered at the interruption.

"Of sorts.

"You should already know what a Roarggort is. We studied them briefly last week. It is a creature that can easily be mistaken for a dementor. It has a fondness of houses where the dark arts have been practised in the past. It looks and feels like a dementor, but other than the usual barrage of unpleasant memories and emotions one associates with dementors," he said in a manner that was almost blasé, "and the occasional headache, it's hardly dangerous and completely incapable of delivering anything remotely resembling a Dementor's Kiss. I have obtained one for us. You will be trying out your patronuses on the Roarggort."

He moved to reveal a wooden box that was shaking violently with the Roarggort that was imprisoned within. Grunting noises showed the Roarggort's displeasure. That was the only apparent difference between a dementor and a Roarggort. Dementors didn't grunt.

Despite the discrete emphasis he placed on the relatively harmless nature of the Roarggort, Professor Snape was pleased to see that the two students seemed nervous at the prospect of facing it. The '_usual barrage of unpleasant memories and emotions'_ was a serious understatement and everyone in the classroom knew it. Neither of the two teenagers had ever faced a Dementor, or anything like it, and it was natural for them to be afraid, but it amused the snarky Professor to no end. They weren't perfect after all, he concluded with satisfaction!

"I will now release the Roarggort." he spoke curtly.

Talia and Wyatt gasped when they saw the by-now-familiar shape of a dementor. The pictures in their book, they decided, failed to do it justice. The black cloak seemed to suck the very light out of the room they were in. An icy hand of fear gripped their heart and squeezed. Cold sweat broke out on their foreheads as the overpowering presence of the 'dementor' filled the room.

It was with supreme effort that Wyatt managed to overcome the vivid images he was suddenly bombarded with. He desperately searched for a happy memory.

"_Expecto Patronum_," he shouted, and his gryphon burst forth from the tip of his wand and advanced growling on the 'dementor'.

Behind his customary scowl, Snape was pleased. Wyatt had done incredibly well. The Potions Master turned to check on his other student.

Talia seemed to fare a lot worse than her cousin.

Snape's eyebrow rose of its own accord.

The images the creature bombarded her with, seemed to have an incredibly dire effect on her. Her eyes widened in unmasked fear. She clutched her midsection as if she was in pain and collapsed on a heap on the floor. Talia looked like she was in agony! She curled herself in the foetal position. Her brow was drenched in sweat and, Snape noted with an almost clinical fascination, she was shivering, her eyes shut tight.

Wyatt seemed to have noticed too. He put even more effort into his patronus and the 'dementor' shrunk back. But he was distracted by his cousin and his concern for her, and couldn't keep his thoughts happy enough. His patronus faded away.

"Professor!" he shouted in sudden near panic. Wyatt rushed by Talia's side trying to help her up.

Snape did nothing but watch impassively as the 'dementor' approached the two teenagers.

"_Expecto Patronum_!" Wyatt yelled once again.

His patronus leapt at his command, but the gryphon was more translucent, less corporeal than before. Wyatt, in trying to defeat his own bad memories the 'dementor' was bombarding his mind with, and in his concern for Talia, hadn't managed to put his usual effort into the patronus.

"Professor, do something!"

But Snape did nothing.

Wyatt resisted the urge to punch him.

"_Expecto Patronum_!"

The gryphon was even fainter than before.

"Talia, come on! Get a grip! I need your help here! I can't do this on my own!"

Wyatt's voice seemed to finally penetrate Talia's subconscious and she stirred on the floor. Her eyes opened but they were unfocused, haunted, as she looked towards Wyatt's general direction.

"Come on Talia! I need you!"

Talia gritted her teeth and struggled unsurely to her feet. Wyatt helped her up, dragging her from her robe's sleeve.

Wyatt's patronus faded one last time and the dementor stopped its retreat.

"We'll do this together," he told Talia, looking at her intently.

Talia finally looked back at him, her eyes clear, a glint of determination shining in their tortured depths. She nodded and they both took a deep breath clearing their minds and focusing on their own happy thoughts.

A squeeze from Talia's hand on Wyatt's shoulder gave them their signal.

"_Expecto Patronum!!_" they shouted in unison at the approaching dementor.

The gryphon and the phoenix sprung forth in all their bright glory. The phoenix gave a loud screech and dove at the cloaked figure. The gryphon screeched once and did the same. The 'dementor' never stood a chance. It dissolved away. Wyatt and Talia panted as if they had just run a mile.

"Are you ok?" he whispered.

She nodded.

"What did you see?"

Talia bit her bottom lip.

"Nicholas, Valdis..."

Snape watched in fascination. Towards the end, the two had worked as one. Talia and Wyatt had obviously had practise in facing problems together.

Bullshit! It was more than that, he suddenly decided forcefully. Snape had been in plenty of battles in his life and he knew exactly what he had just seen.

It was the camaraderie of warriors-at-arms.

Of people who had fought many a battle together and who automatically watched each other's back. Who knew exactly what would bring their partner to their senses, and who communicated their plan of attack to each other without words. His conclusions only served to raise more questions about the two cousins. Questions that, no matter how much he tried, the headmaster - for all his damned wisdom - refused to answer.

But his musings did not last long.

"What the hell were you playing at?!!" demanded an angry Wyatt advancing angrily towards him. "Are you insane? You're supposed to be our teacher! Don't you know what could have happened right now? Why didn't you help?"

"Calm yourself, Halliwell," Snape cut him off icily. "Nothing would have happened. You forget that what you just faced was not a Dementor. It was a Roarggort. You were never at any real risk. The whole experience might have been rather unpleasant, but you were safe the entire time."

Wyatt seemed at a loss for words.

"But…but you didn't help us at all..."

Talia looked to be almost back to her old self by now. She didn't even deign to show any embarrassment over the incident that just happened, Snape noticed with approval. She seemed to be taking the whole thing much more calmly.

"Thank you for not helping us, Professor Snape," she said in a quiet voice, interrupting Wyatt's rumblings.

Wyatt starred at her in amazement and, though Snape hid it, he felt the same.

"Professor Snape wanted us to defeat the 'dementor' ourselves," she explained to a wide-eyed Wyatt, but her eyes were still locked on Snape. She was calm, but there was a professional air about her, and he felt that it was addressed to him. She finally turned back to her cousin. "We needed to know that we can do it. That we can overcome the dementor's effects on our own. I wouldn't have made it if it weren't for you Wyatt," she said honestly and not without some bitterness. And suddenly, those deep brown eyes focused back on him. "Professor, do you think we could do it again?"

It took the Potions Master a second or two to get past his shock, but he hid it well. Professor Snape nodded. He hated to admit it, but for once, in a very long time, he felt a growing respect for two of his students.

Damn Albus and his cryptic answers! He had gone to see him about Halliwell and Turner again and again, but his questions were simply brushed off! He tried to use his formidable spy skills to obtain any information he could about them, but even they failed to get anything out from the Headmaster other than an unusually bright twinkle. Who _were_ these children?!

With a shared look, Talia and Wyatt once again took their positions next to each other, preparing to face the Roarggort once again. Wyatt looked at his cousin anxiously, but Talia simply looked in front of her, her face set.

"Ready when you are, Professor."

Talia twisted and turned, ducked and weaved, jumped and dodged, in a complicated dance with her invisible opponent. Sweat was running down her body in rivulets now, but she didn't care. She needed a release for all the pent up energy and frustration of the last few weeks, and she had neglected her more advanced training, for far too long.

The dementor lesson had hit her harder than she cared to admit. She wasn't used to failure, and it left a bitter taste in her mouth. She had conquered the Roarggort in the end, but it had placed a large dent in her self-confidence and that, was unacceptable. Tomorrow was the practical Bogart lesson. In all honesty, Talia had no idea what her worst fear was. There were so many of them really... Inwardly, she trembled to think of what tomorrow would bring. She set her jaw in determination. She was determined to fare much better tomorrow, than she had today.

She was conscious of a pair of eyes following her every move. They'd been there for at least fifteen minutes, but she had been trying to ignore them. It wasn't working, they were still there. Talia could feel them boring holes onto her back as she performed yet another high kick, landed on a crouching position, and then jumped back up to throw a well placed punch on her imaginary opponent's jaw. She held the position, breathing heavily, before finally straightening up.

"Enjoy the show?" she asked caustically without turning round.

Talia didn't know who it was that had been watching her and, in all honesty, she didn't care. It was probably Wyatt anyway, and he was used to her bad moods, but she didn't feel like talking to anyone at the moment, not even her mild-mannered cousin.

"Impressive."

The voice was deeper than she had expected and definitely not her cousin's. It wasn't the voice of a boy at all. It was the voice of a man.

Talia's eyes widened as she turned to face Professor Severus Snape.

"Professor?"

Snape watched her impassively for a while.

"Care for a bit of a challenge?" he finally said.

"You spar?" she asked, unable to keep the surprise out of her voice.

"A little," he said, crossing the room.

He removed his robes and placed them, meticulously folded, on the floor.

Talia watched with avid interest. Under the robes, she was surprised at how well built Severus Snape was. His muscles were not the bulging type one acquired from hours at the gym, they were the hard, ropey kind that came from physical work and hard training. His drawstring black trousers and the black t-shirt he wore underneath his robes, did him justice.

Snape turned round to catch her staring and sneered.

"Do you find something interesting, Miss Turner?"

"You are an interesting man, Professor Snape," she confessed.

He looked at her strangely.

"Shall we begin?" he drawled.

Talia faced him and bowed. He bowed in return before crouching in a fighting stance.

Talia launched herself at him. She had a lot of anger and frustration to get rid of, some for which he was responsible, and he was giving her a chance to get even. She wasn't about to waste it.

He blocked her first assault easily enough. She was surprised. She aimed a punch at him, but he ducked. She used her foot in an attempt to sweep his own feet from right under him, but he jumped out of harm's way in time.

She was very surprised. And pleased. It had been a while since she had a real challenge...

He wrapped a hand around her wrist and twisted. She went with it, knowing it would go easier that way, then in a sudden twisting jerk, she released it from his grasp. Without missing a beat, the Potions' Master aimed a well-placed jab at her side. It knocked the air out of her, but she ducked his next punch and managed to trip him with her feet on her way down. She jumped back up and threw a high kick at him as he was getting up. He barely managed to get out of the way.

Talia grinned. She was loving every second of this!

Talia had lost count of how long they had been sparing. It seemed to have lasted for more than an hour and the intense, fast paced workout was getting to both of them. Talia stretched a hand towards her opponent, but her fist clenched around fabric as he jumped safely out of the way. Snape's black t-shirt was left in her grasp. They were both drenched in sweat and panting heavily as they separated once more to the different sides of the room.

Talia looked at the black cloth in her hand, then back at her shirtless professor. She had felt the strength of his body during their fighting, but was still surprised to see the well formed, pale stomach. She couldn't help noticing the numerous scars that decorated it. And she couldn't help but think that they added to the appeal, and reinforced the idea that she was looking at a warrior's body. Talia had inherited both her parents' appreciation for beauty, and she could definitely appreciate this. Her gaze finally lifted to his face and she realised what she'd done.

Talia didn't blush, but if she was the blushing kind, she would.

For the first time since they started sparing, she seemed to come to her senses long enough to realise who she was sparing with, and she felt rather embarrassed by her actions.

"Err...I'm sorry, Professor," she managed.

He smirked.

"There's nothing to apologise for, Miss Turner. I enjoyed our sparring. Shall we call it enough for today?"

He was more out of breath than she was and it took most of his formidable will to conceal that fact. He wasn't seventeen anymore and he had neglected his combat training for too long. Since before Voldemort came back, in fact. A few more minutes and he would have suffered a rather embarrassing defeat.

Talia bowed to her professor with a new-found sense of respect for him. He bowed back. Then she walked up to him with the torn t-shirt. He reached for it, but she pulled back at the last minute, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes and a large grin plastered on her face.

"You know Professor," she drawled easily, "you really should think of showing up to classes like that." She pointed with her chin at his bare chest.

Snape was shocked enough at her teasing to actually show it. No one teased him like this. Certainly not a student. A left eyebrow buried itself in his hairline.

"I guarantee an increased interest in Potions..." she continued, and the twinkle in her eyes could suddenly rival Dumbledore's.

He smirked as he leaned in to snatch his t-shirt from her grasp.

"Why, Miss Turner, you wouldn't be ogling your Potions' professor now, would you?"

_Where in Tartarus had that come from?_ he wondered vaguely.

She laughed. That's exactly what she had been doing!

"Don't take this the wrong way, Professor, but had I been about a decade older, there wouldn't be a corner in this castle you'd be safe in!"

Snape's eyes widened in disbelief. Had she really just said that?! _To him?! _Talia grinned and her smile reached from ear to ear. The Professor's mouth twitched as he fought a war with a smile; his first in quite some time.

"Miss Turner, you may be ready for Hogwarts by the end of this summer, but I'm not at all sure that Hogwarts will ever be ready for you."

She laughed again before making her way out of the room and to a badly needed shower.

"Until next time, Professor."

**A/N:** And as always, please review!!

You thought I'd forgotten, didn't you?


	11. Haunted

Those of you who know me, know, that I don't normally do this, but **Ori **had a very good question that made me rethink a lot of this story and I just _had_ to answer it.

**Everyone read this because it's important: **Yes, there is a reason as to why Dumbledore chose this specific time to invite Talia and Wyatt to Hogwarts, though it is, in fact, not centered on Talia and Wyatt, as much as it is centered on Hogwarts, the wizarding world and Harry Potter.

Going by J. K. Rowling's books, the story gets darker as Harry gets older and such is the case here. We are currently at the summer before Harry's seventh year. Things are pretty volatile in the wizarding world. Dumbledore knows that the end is nigh. The final battle between Good and Evil in the wizarding world is approaching and he's frantically doing all he can to prepare the side of Good for it.

What does this entail? Well, I'm assuming that after the nasty little surprise Harry received at the end of Book 5 (this is Post OotP: Order of the Phoenix, by the way), he was much more motivated to learn Occlumency than he was before. But this was only one part of his training by Dumbledore and the Order during year 6. His training is all magically centered. Remus Lupin, Severus Snape, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphadora Tonks are all teaching him how to properly use his wand to defend himself and fight in the oncoming war. Severus Snape is proving to be quite an asset, showing him dark curses that Harry's not so sure he would use given the chance. But Harry and Snape still hate each other and it's holding Harry's training back. Thankfully, Harry has already mastered Occlumency by the end of year 6 and is at the beginning of year 7, already working on Legilimency. It's safe to assume that if Voldemort were to attack now, he'd get a lot more than the feeble attempt at dueling from Harry that he got both in year 4 and year 5!

Ok, so Harry's in training. What's that got to do with Dumbledore calling in Wyatt and Talia? Wyatt and Talia are wiccans. It would never occur to Dumbledore to invite them to Hogwarts in the first place, unless there was a reason for it, which explains why neither was invited to Hogwarts earlier. As to, why now... I've already mentioned in chapter 1 that in Harry's sixth year something happened that got the entire DA involved. There's a story there that I planned on divulging in snippets and hints. Something bad happened in Hogwarts the previous year, and a Slytherin student was involved. The DA (yes, it's still active – last year's teacher was still not quite up to par) put up a great defense. Better than any expected. Who knows what might have happened to Hogwarts if they hadn't gotten involved?

It got Dumbledore thinking. Students aren't just there as useless, _innocent_, entities to be protected. They can be _of use_ in this war. They _want _to be of use in this war. They're already getting involved, _on both sides_. And as teachers, he and the rest of the staff often get left out from what it's going on at the student level of things. At the beginning of the story, Dumbledore was looking for a way to counteract that. What better way to add protection to the school by bringing in two veteran warrior forces of the light? And these two warriors, Talia and Wyatt, are of a young age and can interact with the students. Surely if anyone can see to it that nothing evil happens amongst, or by, the students of Hogwarts, it's Wyatt and Talia.

But the two cousins don't know any of this. Talia believes that Dumbledore is firmly on the side of the Light, but she's pretty sure that he hasn't told them everything. Her father's revelation that war is brewing in the wizarding world, has strengthened this belief. She's watchful. Leo knows as much as she does and he too, for the moment, has decided to keep an eye on the two cousins, and he's mouth shut. Wyatt and the Charmed Ones are, as usual, blissfully ignorant.

..oo00oo..

And because I can't upload only an author's note, here's chapter 11 although it's a little short. Thank yous go to the very few who are apparently still reading (and reviewing) this story: **Psychoticmurderer**,** Winter Blaze**,** Anime No Megami**,** Ori** and** Charmed148**.

And for those of you who asked, I know what a boggart is and that wasn't the creature Talia and Wyatt faced in the previous chapter. Boggarts and Dementors are J. K. Rowling's creations and I would never dream of claiming them as my own. The Roarggort however, _is _my own creation. Might I suggest that you reread the previous chapter?

..oo00oo..

And of course, a big thank you goes to the one, the only, **Nightcrawler**

..oo00oo..

**Chapter 11: Haunted**

"Talia..."

Brown eyes opened in the dark. They were clear and alert, with no sign of sleep left in them. Talia had gone from fully asleep to fully awake in less time than it would have taken normal people to blink. Had she really just heard someone call her name?

"Talia..."

Yes. And whoever they were, they had just called again.

Talia sat up in bed.

"Who are you?" she spoke in a soft, but clear voice. "Show yourself."

The answer came quickly.

"I am the only one who understands, Talia. We're the same you and I."

The haunting voice rang clear in her ears. There was a hissing, lilting quality to it that made her shiver in the dark. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling. It was the thrill and excitement Talia associated with the attraction she felt for dark magic. With a frown, she forced the feeling down and scanned the shadows. She knew that she was not alone in her room. She threw the covers off her and hung a leg on the side of the bed.

"I demand that you show yourself right now," she commanded, standing up to face the invisible intruder. She hung her arms loosely by her sides, ready for a fight.

Talia couldn't believe how cold the room suddenly seemed to be! In her short, flimsy nightgown, she could feel the cold pass right through her to chill her very bones. Her shallow, fast breaths came in small puffs of mist and, though she stubbornly refused to show it even in the depths of her dark eyes, she was frightened. This cold was most certainly not natural. They were only at the beginning of August!

A gasp left her lips as Talia was flung hard against the wall by an invisible force. Her head smacked sharply against the stone wall and unshed tears of pain filled her eyes.

She felt, rather than saw, a cold shadow cover her, pushing her further against the stone. A cold, invisible hand held her wrists high above her head. She could do nothing to protect herself from the invisible, menacing presence that filled the room.

Talia's breath caught in her throat as she felt a ghostly hand make its way up one bare leg.

"Who are you?" she managed, while that same invisible hand roamed her body, intent in its seduction.

"I am your heart's hidden desires, Princess," the cold teased in her ear. "You may deny the darkness, Talia, but the darkness will never, ever, give up its claim on you. You are part of it."

Invisible lips covered hers, and she gasped in surprise. The intruder saw that as an invitation and slipped an invisible tongue between her open, bewildered lips. Talia's eyes closed of their own accord and she surrendered into the strange kiss. It was like none she had ever had before; demanding, consuming, controlling; cruel.

At that final realisation, Talia's eyes flipped open and she resisted the kiss, tried to turn away. She felt sharp teeth tear her bottom lip, and had to bite back a cry of pain.

"Leave me alone," she commanded in an angry voice that did not betray the fear that flowed through her. She could taste her own blood now. It flowed rich and red from her torn, swollen lip.

"As you wish, my lady," the shadow obliged with an evil cackle, "but I'll be back."

..ooOOoo..

At the Burrow, Harry Potter woke up drenched in sweat with a scream firmly lodged in his throat.

Ron's rhythmic snores continued on the bed next to his, and, still breathing heavily, Harry settled back down in bed, already accustomed to the rituals of being woken up in the middle of the night by a nightmare.

His mind was filled with images of a pretty girl with brown hair and big brown eyes. He had watched her through the eyes of another. Voldemort, he presumed. There was fear and confusion. He had practically tasted her terror, though she had bravely shown none of it. Whoever this girl was, Voldemort had been very, very interested in her and Harry was pretty sure that the girl didn't even know why.

It had been a while since he had any dreams of this kind. Not since Sirius in fact, he thought with a pang. With practised ease he slipped into the routine of his Occlumency exercises.

_Talia,_ he remembered, before slipping back into deep sleep. _Her name was_ _Talia_.

..ooOOoo..

**A/N: **I know it was short, but I did give you guys plenty of information in the author's note above. Please review!


	12. Raising Eyebrows

**A/N: **I've been working on this chapter for ages and it has gone through more drafts that you can possibly imagine! I'm still not sure if I got the tone I was going for, but **Nightcrawler**, the world's greatest beta reader, liked it and thought you will too, so I though I'd upload it as is.

_Ernie: We. Would. Like. To. Thank..._

Yes, we would Ernie. There's some very faithful reviewers out there, without whose encouragement and kind words, I'm pretty sure this story wouldn't be what it is.

_Ernie: **Winter Blaze**_

The Plot thickens. Yes, I thought it's about time Voldie got involved. Annoying little prat.

_Ernie: **Nexos23**_

Damn you're good! Yes, that's where I got the inspiration for Talia's 'haunting'. You're the only one to have picked it up, though I thought the-ghostly-hand-travelling-up-one-naked thigh-lifting-the-nightdress-slightly-up-thing, was a dead give away. Not even the ever watchful **Nightcrawler**picked that one up!Which is why I'm dedicating this next chapter to... you! Hope you like it!

_Ernie: **Bob-the-bear**_

_/shrieks in pure joy/_ My head cheerleader's back!! Pom-poms, tripping over chairs, and everything! _/kneels down and kow-tows in total supplication/_ I am not worthy!

I am so glad you've enjoyed the Sev / Talia sparring. _/blushes furiously/_ You guys know how much I love action. It was bound to crop up somewhere! I think it's pretty obvious that Talia's not a regular teenager. Likewise, Severus Snape is not a regular teacher. I naturally see her attracted (personality-wise at least) to the only dark character around at Hogwarts. She finds his darkness familiar and his presence comforting, as comforting as the presence of one Severus Snape can be.

Which brings me to one question I'd like to answer here. There's nothing sordid about the Sev/Talia connection, as one disgusted reviewer suggested. Talia's a natural flirt. Of course she would tease and banter! But even if that chapter had signified the start of romance, I don't see much wrong with it. According to Rowling, Snape's not that old at 35 and in my story at least, in a pretty good shape. In the Underworld, age is definitely not a concern in relationships. Not when you've got hundred year demons walking around, looking not a day over forty! But it would never occur to Snape to think of Talia romantically. And he's currently way too busy with what's going on in the wizarding world to think of relationships. And Talia is not one for 'relationships' to begin with

_Ernie: **Charmedfanatic3000**_

You love my story, and I love your compliments. Keep on reading! You ain't seen nothing yet.

_Ernie: **Svata2004**_

You want more? Ask and ye shall receive my Queen. Here's more!

_Ernie: **Mixer**_

You are a wonderful, wonderful person and you're enjoying this story. That's all that matters! I'm not going to chew your head off if you don't find the time to review a chapter!

Though I do get excited seeing your name on my reviews...

My heart starts racing, my palms start sweating, and for some strange reason, I can't seem to get rid of the ridiculous grin on my face. You always have the best comments, compliments and observations! And you remember to thank Ernie for his input.

_Ernie: My. One. __And.__ Only.__ Fan. _/mechanical sob/_ You. Honour. __Me.__ Sir._

Get back to the thank yous Ernie!

_Ernie: **Ori**_

Good Lord! You're like the energizer bunny, the compliments just never stop coming from you! You really are wonderful, **Ori**, and I don't know how I would've ever gotten so far in this story without you! I can completely relate with computer withdrawal. Two weeks holiday without Ernie to keep me company, had me dangerously swaying back towards books. Go figure!

What do I think of the new season? Good question. Very good question. I'm ashamed to say that I haven't seen the new season yet **Ori**. It is rather shameful, isn't it. I'm stuck in my crummy student hall in London, with no television, and no way to watch my favourite show. The latest episode I've seen was the Camelot one. But I know I can't keep writing this without keeping up to date with what's going on in the Charmed world. When I get the time, I intend to read the episode summaries on the internet.

Saying that I made your day complete was lovely. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!

_Ernie: **Charmed148**_

Yeah, I tend to be side tracked. Harry and the rest of the gang will be coming to Hogwarts soon, I promise. Just not quite yet.

...please don't kill me! Glad you liked the chapter.

Ernie: _My. Oh. My. My. Personal. Fans. Are. Increasing. I. Don't. Know. What. To. Say. I'd. Like. To. Thank. My. Mother. My father. The. Academy._

Ernie!

_Ernie: **NYCazn7**_

That's absolutely right! Voldemort is definitely Harry's problem and it'll be Harry who deals with him. Talia does have a tendency to get in the way, but it's only poetic justice for our green-eyed bespectacled boy to get his poetic justice after everything he's been through.

**..oo00oo..**

Please don't forget to review! That little button with the word 'Go' at the end of the pages isn't just for decorative purposes, you know!

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**..oo00oo..**

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**Chapter 12: Raising Eyebrows**

"Miss Turner?"

"Crushed scarab eyes, sliced mandrake root, water, bubotuber pus, and..." she thought for a moment, certain that there was one more ingredient that she was forgetting, "tears of a Welsh Green dragon," she finished triumphantly.

"That is correct, Miss Turner.

"And Mr. Halliwell, can you describe the use of the Hypnarium Potion?"

"It is a very powerful sleeping draught, Professor."

"That is correct, but there is more to it than that. Miss Turner, care to take a shot at a more specific answer?"

"The Hypniarum potion can be administrated to insomniacs who have built immunity to the Dreamless sleep draught. It also encourages visions in those with the Gift. It is sometimes taken by seers to enhance the abilities of their inner eye. This, however, is heavily discouraged since the potion may be dangerous for the seer. Records show that use of the Hypnarium potion has resulted in serious mental injury, coma and even death."

"You always were better than me in Potions," sighed Wyatt next to her, slumping in his chair in defeat.

"Yeah, but you're better with spells," consoled Talia.

"Yeah, but how come _you _get the talent in Potions, when it's _my_ mother who taught us?"

She scowled.

"She's not just _your_ mother, remember? She's _my_ aunt!"

"So... Potion making's in the genes?" Wyatt asked interestedly.

Talia shrugged.

The two teenagers turned to the Potion Master for an answer.

Snape's face remained impassive, but the fact that the two cousins seemed to still have absolutely no fear of him, was as irritating as hell! He was beginning to think he was losing his touch.

"If you're quite finished..." he said dryly and with a scowl.

But before Professor Snape managed to finish what he had been about to say, their lesson was interrupted once again, this time, by a rather demanding knock on the classroom door.

The three occupants of the room tuned as one to see the two elegant, richly-dressed, blond men, standing at the door.

"Severus...?" enquired the eldest of the two men. "I didn't know that you taught... summer school...?" Lucius Malfoy smirked.

"Lucius, Draco," Snape said coldly, "come in."

The two men were obviously, father and son. They had the same platinum blond hair, the same stormy grey eyes and the same cold, hardened look about them. The young man seemed to be about their age. He smirked at them. Wyatt glared at him while Talia simply smirked back.

"Allow me to introduce to you Hogwarts' newest students," said Professor Snape gesturing towards Talia and Wyatt.

Talia stood up from her seat politely, and Wyatt followed suit.

"Miss Turner, this is Mr. Lucius Malfoy and his son, Draco. Lucius, Draco, This is Miss Talia Turner."

Lucius Malfoy took in the graceful appearance of the slight girl before him and immediately recognised her as the young woman from Knockturn Alley. He raised an eyebrow in surprise. His interest was instantly peaked. There was something about her...

Her eyes sparkled and she held herself like a queen. Like that day in the alley, he could feel the power almost crackling around her. There was something about this girl that called to the dark side of his soul. She extended a hand for him to take. He took it in his and slowly raised it to his lips.

If Talia was surprised by his action, she didn't show it. Professor Snape's and Draco's left eyebrows, however, rose almost at the same instant in a manner Wyatt would have found hilarious, if he hadn't been equally surprised by the older man's gesture.

Professor Snape scowled. Lucius rarely, if ever, showed anyone any respect. Arrogance was a given for a Malfoy. To do so to a young girl of almost seventeen was beyond strange. It implied one of two things. Either Lucius had felt the girl's magical powers and seen her as someone to watch, or he knew something that Snape didn't. The professor fervently hoped it was the former rather than the latter.

As expected of him, Draco copied his father's actions. His left eyebrow was still raised when he made eye contact with the girl before him as he bent to kiss her hand. Her eyes glittered mischievously. The boy's bemusement and confusion was evident to her expert's eye, though he hid it well, and it was almost too much for her to watch.

"And this is Miss Turner's cousin, Mr. Wyatt Halliwell. Miss Turner and Mr. Halliwell will be starting Hogwarts in September," Professor Snape continued the introductions.

Lucius and Wyatt shook hands and exchanged a long calculating look. There was something about the older man that made Wyatt's skin crawl. And it wasn't irrational. This man seemed to recognise Talia from somewhere. Knowing her past, that was definitely not a good thing.

"Halliwell, you say?" drawled Lucius, his eyes sparkling in triumph. He was getting somewhere. "As in...Penny Halliwell?"

Wyatt was surprised for the second time in minutes and he wasn't the only one. No one in that room, except Lucius of course, had seen that coming.

"Penny Halliwell was my great-grandmother, sir. Did you know her?" Wyatt asked.

Lucius' demeanour went back to seeming slightly bored, but the interest in his eyes betrayed him.

"I believe my father may have mentioned her once," Lucius said nonchalantly.

That was an understatement! He thought back to his father and how he had spent an entire week listening to him cursing that "nosy, interfering, Halliwell woman" after she had apparently been responsible for the ruin of one of his beautifully laid out, schemes. What an American witch was doing in Britain, he didn't know. Lucius smirked. It had been rather amusing to witness one of his father's rare failures. His eyes firmly lodged onto the Halliwell boy. From what little he knew of the Halliwells, he knew that they were a family of Good Wiccans. What would one of them be doing related to such as obviously dark witch as the mysterious Miss Talia Turner?

"I never knew that Hogwarts was open to Wiccans, Severus. And _American_ Wiccans at that..." he drawled looking the young man up and down. His distaste for anything to do with the New World was evident and Wyatt could practically hear the italics in his voice.

Draco's eyes widened slightly at his father's words and flickered back to Talia and Wyatt. Wiccans...?!

"Mr. Halliwell and Miss Turner will be the first in quite some time," answered Snape frostily. He hated being left out of the loop! It was bad enough when Dumbledore did it, but with Lucius Malfoy... When the damn blond bastard stood there, like he was doing now, all proud, smug Malfoy arrogance, it was excruciating! What the hell did he know about the two cousins anyway? "They have been home-schooled until now and Professor Dumbledore has requested that they receive a few lessons during the holidays to prepare them for school in September."

"Capital idea!" said Lucius jovially. "What year will you be in Miss Turner? Mr. Halliwell...?"

"Wyatt will be starting year six and I'll be in year seven, sir," Talia answered confidently for both of them.

She too had recognised Lucius Malfoy as the man from Knockturn Alley. She had been assessing him from the moment he had had walked into the classroom. He was dark energy all over, she decided. An interesting and dangerous man. But she had met many of those before. She noticed with some amusement that he had been pleasantly surprised that she managed to look him in the eye when she spoke to him. He was evidently not used to that. Despite Malfoy's association with Dark magic and his, as yet unexplained, knowledge of Penny Halliwell, he obviously had no idea who she was. She was used to dealing with people a lot worse than him and he didn't scare her, though she was prudent enough to be careful around him.

She turned her deep brown eyes to the blond young man standing next to him. Their eyes met. Lucius Malfoy was nothing compared to his son. It took a lot of effort for Talia to show no reaction to him. There was a lot of potential in Draco Malfoy, and it felt positively tantalizing to her refined taste buds! He was more powerful than his father, and that was certainly saying something. Centuries of pureblood breeding had resulted in quite the magical talent, though she thought she could sense a tendency to under use it. And despite not having quite achieved the amount of darkness his father's soul possessed, there was definitely darkness in him.

But the incredible potential she sensed wasn't all due to magical talent. She thought she could sense an amazing strength of character and forceful personality that thrilled her almost as much as his magic did. Draco Malfoy was powerful in a way even more ancient and inherent than magic, and he didn't even know it! It was in the determined set of his jaw, the shrewd glint in his eye, the proud toss of his head. It was the look of a man born to yielding power. His father had it too, but in a much lesser degree.

"Draco will be a seventh year too, in September. Perhaps he can show you the ropes, so to speak...?"

Talia looked back to the blond young man who still regarded her with interest.

"That's very kind of you, sir," she enunciated carefully.

"In fact, why don't you young people go off on your own for a while? Severus and I have some business to discuss, and you can get to know each other."

It was clearly a dismissal and they all knew it.

Wyatt tried to catch Talia's eye as she calmly closed her books and tidied up her desk, but she seemed to be avoiding him. He sighed. He knew only too well what that meant. She was up to something.

Draco Malfoy opened the door for Talia and placed a hand on her lower back to guide her out of the room, leaving Wyatt to follow. Wyatt had to fight off a snigger. The Malfoys had no idea who they were messing with.

**..oo00oo..**

"So..." started Draco.

Talia and Wyatt did nothing to help him start a conversation. The three of them had left Talia's and Wyatt's books at their rooms and were currently walking the Hogwarts corridors. They had done all this for the most part without talking, and the cousins' silence was seriously getting on the blond wizard's nerves. This was already his fourth or fifth attempt at conversation.

"So, where are you two from? My father mentioned something about America...?"

The younger boy nodded.

"San Francisco."

"You've the accent for it."

The conversation promptly died once again. The young wizard cursed his father for making him escort him to Hogwarts in the middle of his summer holiday!

"But Talia, you don't have the same accent," Draco said in mounting desperation that he refused to show. "You do have an accent of course, but I can't quite place it..."

The young witch spoke as if she had had elocution lessons all her life, thanks to her father's best friend, the man she referred to as Uncle Xander. Xander was British, and having spent quite some time in the past working on a mission involving the British Royal family, he had emphasized to Talia the importance of proper speech. To his dismay, Talia retained a little of the American accent both her parents spoke with, but there was another component in her speech that was uniquely her. It was all together a rather pleasant sound and that had helped placate the perfectionist Xander was.

"I stayed with my father until I was sixteen, before moving to America last year to stay with my mother and aunts," she answered Draco's unspoken question.

"And where was that?" he asked as pleasantly as he could.

Draco felt like he had to drag the information out of them and it was grating on his nerves. Being nice did not come naturally to him, and if he didn't know that his father expected him to be nice to these two, he would have abandoned them ten minutes ago.

Talia and Wyatt shared an amused look. Draco caught them at it and felt the anger building on his frustration.

"Down Under," Talia said convincingly.

If he hadn't caught that look between them, he wouldn't have doubted her. As it was, Draco found himself watching her through narrowed eyes. Were they playing a joke on him? He couldn't see how, or why, but the look on Wyatt's face, was enough to convince him that they were.

They walked in silence for a while.

How dare they make fun of him?! He was a Malfoy for Merlin's sake! Draco's temper rose. The only thing that helped him keep it in check was the thought of his father. He comforted himself with the thought that Talia was quite simply the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He smirked wickedly. If he could only get her alone...

"Draco, Talia, you mind if I leave you, do you?," spoke Wyatt, finally breaking the uncomfortable silence, "Hagrid said he'd be bringing Twizzlers at today's lesson and I can't wait to check them out."

Draco looked at the younger boy in surprise. Had he read his mind? One look at the boy's open face convinced him otherwise. It seemed that the vague, unexplained animosity he felt towards Wyatt Halliwell was mutual. Talia's cousin simply felt terribly uncomfortable around him and couldn't wait to get away! Draco did his best to suppress a smug smile that rose to his lips.

"By all means," he said in a rush.

"Of course," said Talia with a smile, and Wyatt made a hasty retreat.

Draco smirked and thanked whichever deity had granted his wish. Talia watched Wyatt walk away while Draco studied the girl next to him. She was beautiful and definitely deserved his attention. Maybe his afternoon could be salvaged after all! Surprisingly, it was Talia who spoke first.

"I'm afraid I haven't had much of a chance to explore the grounds yet," she lied beneath lowered eyelashes. "Would you like to show me around, Draco?"

A feral grin stretched over his handsome features. Now this was more like it!

"Sounds like a good idea. Shall we?" he offered her his arm and she threaded her own through. He brought his other hand to cover hers in a possessive gesture he had seen his father use. She smiled seductively up at him and moved closer.

"Lead the way."

**..oo00oo..**

"Valencia," whispered Talia, cupping the soft petals of the flower.

Standing behind her, Draco looked at her in surprise.

"You know your roses..." he said somewhere near her ear. She didn't turn to face him, studying the flower her fingers were still curled against instead.

The rose was a very beautiful, very pale, almost-white, yellow colour. It was a sharp contrast against her tanned fingers. It looked almost as if it were made of moonlight; ethereal, unreal...

"So do you," she said, raising an eyebrow, though he couldn't see it. "I have an uncle who has a thing for them," Talia confessed, thinking back to 'uncle' Xander.

Funny how the Source's right hand man loved something so pure, so innocent... so _unattainable_ for someone like him. Not many knew of course, but Talia had caught him once with a single red rose, staring at it, deep in thought.

_'Forgive me,' she had heard him whisper, when he had thought no one was watching or listening_

Last year, she had found out why.

"Roses are his hobby. He grows them and made sure I knew their proper names, their colours..."

"My mother grows roses."

She finally turned her head to face him and found him closer to her than she had expected.

It all happened so fast!

Their eyes locked. Suddenly, sexual tension was palpable in the little garden. Their lips were mere inches apart and their breaths hitched in their throats. Neither of them dared move.

"So then you know what I'm talking about," she said, and her eyes slipped momentarily to his lips, before moving back up to those smoky greys that had her captivated.

He nodded slowly.

"_When I shall lie beneath my tomb,__Oh do not grave it with my name__But let one rose-bush o'er me bloom,__ And heedless of my shame,__With velvet shade and loving laugh,__In petals write my epitaph_," he drawled. His eyes never left hers. "Robert Service," she breathed on reflex. It was a game she used to play with her father. One of them would quote literature or poetry, and the other would try to guess the poet or author who wrote it. But Draco was pleasantly surprised. A classical education before ever attending Hogwarts was a requisite to being a Malfoy, but the girls of his own age that he knew, knew nothing of poetry. His eyes slipped of their own accord to her parted lips, and he couldn't help but wonder if they really were as soft as they looked. 

"Which one's your favourite?" he asked in a voice purposefully low and Talia didn't have to think very hard to guess exactly what it was that he was attempting.

She suppressed a smirk that threatened to rise to the surface. So, he wanted to play, did he? Unbeknownst to him, Draco was trying to seduce the seductress. It was only one of the skills she had learnt in the Underworld, and she had used it equally for business and pleasure, to her father's despair. Not that the seductress in this case, was averse to being seduced. But Talia didn't intend on making it any easier for him.

"They're just flowers. They're only alive for a few days at most, and then they turn ugly and die. What makes you think I like them enough to have a favourite?" she said coyly.

He looked at her with a cool, sly look in his eyes.

"You're a girl. Girls love flowers, especially roses. And every girl has a favourite."

She smiled wryly.

"Black jade," she breathed, while gracing him with a heated look.

They were so close he could feel her breath on his lips. It was getting harder and harder to keep thinking of roses. He searched his memory for the name she baited him with.

"Deep red, nearly black in colour," he finally said, his own warm breath caressing her face, "velvety texture with a bold, sweet, scent." He smiled mischievously. "Very sensual..." he teased.

Had he expected her to blush at his last comment? Instead, Talia smiled again and Draco fought the urge to turn the slight upward quirk of his lips into a smug smirk. He made a mental note to be nice to his mother when he got back to the Manor. He licked his lips, ready for victory.

"You really do know your roses, don't you?" she said unnecessarily.

He leaned in to kiss her

"Which one's _your_ favourite?"

He was so close! He fought the urge to frown. When was he going to get his kiss? Wasn't knowing her damned rose good enough? He focused on her question and thought for a while.

"Sterling silver."

It was her turn to show off, she decided.

"White. Sometimes tinged with the palest of pinks. Rarely has a scent, and when it does, it's been described as very light and delicate. Considered by experts, to be one of the most flawlessly beautiful rose varieties in current existence," she purred.

_Touché, _he thought.

"Very innocent," he drawled, his eyes boring into hers. He raised an eyebrow in baiting, "almost virginal really."

Talia's eyes twinkled. Was he going to get his kiss now?

"Really? I've never liked roses without a scent," she said huskily. "No matter how beautiful they are." She threw him another heated look under heavy-lidded eyes. "They just seem so... empty." She moved ever so slightly closer to him. The tension between them seemed to increase tenfold. "And white, far from looking innocent as so many claim, has always seemed to me rather..." Draco didn't even dare breathe and her voice dropped even further, "bland; expressionless;" she resisted the urge to smirk as she delivered the punch-line in a suddenly too-dry tone, "frigid." She pulled back leaving a startled Draco looking back at her in mild surprise. Talia shrugged, and something in the casual manner with which she did it, completely shattered the spell that seemed to have settled on them for the past few minutes. "Sterling silver may look pretty on the outside, but it's just not quite... substantial... enough, to attract me. Sorry!" she finished with a smirk that showed she was anything but.

Draco frowned. What the _hell_ had just happened?! He felt disappointed of course, but also, at the same time, strangely insulted! And what's worse, he didn't know why!!

"Shall we sit down for a bit?" she asked smoothly, once again cutting his train of thought and giving him no time to analyse her words. She gestured to the wrought iron bench between the rosebushes, finally breaking their eye-contact, and moving on.

How did she _do_ that?! Here they were, talking about roses of all things, the mood suitably romantic for a good old fashioned snog session amidst the rose bushes, and... He had been about to make his move, when she slipped right through his fingers!

He scowled but followed her to the bench and they sat down.

Talia was thoroughly enjoying herself, toying with Draco. She had been on her best behaviour all throughout the summer and it was finally getting to her! Other than her sparring with Wyatt, occasionally Snape, and one or two secret visits to Hogsmeade, she really hadn't allowed the bad girl within, to surface for a long time.

And now she had a very handsome, very willing, young man to play with...

She looked at the beautiful garden around them. It was bathed in the harsh light of the summer afternoon sun, the chirruping of birds filled the silence around them.

Talia was bored. She looked at the blond next to her.

"How long do think your father and Professor Snape will be busy for?"

He raised an eyebrow at her question.

"A long time. They always are," _whenever they have Death Eater business to discuss_, he added to himself, "It'll probably take them all day. Probably half the night too," he drawled. He picked up on her mischievous little smile and for the second time in minutes, he suddenly felt that this afternoon might not be a total loss after all. "Why?" he asked slyly, "did you have something in mind?"

This was perfect, Talia thought. She was supposed to work on her Ancient Runes studies after Potions and then she was finished for the day. But as luck would have it, she had no real teacher for Ancient Runes. Professor Leontes had been unable to tutor her that summer. Dumbledore had attempted to fill in, but it was soon obvious that Runes weren't Dumbledore's specialty. It was equally obvious that due to Talia's thorough knowledge of languages such as Greek, Latin and even ancient Hebrew, courtesy of Cole and the best demon-tutors the Source could find, she would be better off studying the subject on her own out of books she found in the school library. Better yet, she was already ahead of schedule in terms of material covered. She could afford to give herself the afternoon off, she decided.

"How did you get here?" she asked Draco thoughtfully.

"Hogwarts?"

She nodded.

"Carriage."

She grimaced. That wouldn't work. She was hoping for brooms. Wyatt and Talia had been learning how to fly that summer.

"I was hoping for brooms. I thought I might go to Hogsmeade this afternoon. I've got no more lessons for today. You're welcome to join me..." she suggested coyly.

As if he would turn her down...! Draco's smirk widened. She was playing a game with him, leading him on... and he liked it!

"We could take the school brooms...?"

There was a wicked gleam in Talia's eyes and Draco finally saw the dangerous dark creature his father had first seen in Knockturn Alley.

"Let's get out of here!"

**..oo00oo..**


	13. Heating Things Up

**A/N: **Despite the lack of reviews, I hereby present the next instalment of the saga that is the _Hogwarts Charm.._. I absolutely _loved _writing this! The little bit of action and delinquency in it, probably had something to do with it.

_Ernie: It's. Time. For. Thanking. Our. Reviewers._

You're absolutely right Ernie. Take it away...!

_Ernie: Thank. Yous. Go. To. **charmedfanatic3000**_

You are a lovely, lovely person. Your compliments make my day and put a smile on my face.

_Ernie: __And.__ I'm. Pretty. Grateful. Too. It's. About. Time. __I.__ Got. Some. Recognition. Around. Here._

Oh, stop whining Ernie! We still have reviewers to thank.

_Ernie: The. Illustrious. **Ori******_

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blushes like the schoolgirl she isSpeaking of Halloween, how was yours? I went to a sleepover to some friends' house and watched scary movies, but we still had fun. Chocolate and alcohol was abundant, so how could we not?

I happen to like a good death eater family myself! The Malfoys are perfect 'cause they're not _just_ evil, they're _smart _evil. And classy. Got to love classy. They can probably understand shades of grey as only deliciously evil people do. Good looks help. I know I'll probably get crucified for this, but I'm not a Tom Felton fan. I don't think he's that cute, and frankly, his fascination with fish is a bit creepy. Draco Malfoy on the other hand... He makes the perfect bad boy! Girls can't help but dream of a chance to redeem him! Is there anything more delicious that a bad boy gone good but still retaining that sharp... badness, about him that made him attractive in the first place?

The Lucius/Talia thing wasn't meant to be "ooky". Tal is slightly attracted to him, but not for his sake. She's more attracted to the darkness he symbolises. The last chapter was probably the limit of Lucius/Talia interaction in the entire story.

Research is great! If you are going to do something, then at least make the effort to do it right. Thinking of the Malfoys, I got a picture in my head of Narcissa growing roses and the whole thing started off from there. Rose growing is a rather typical English Lady type of thing. I can't really picture Narcissa herself as a delicate flower, though we are given no cannon evidence to the contrary, but I can definitely see her in a traditional English garden keeping up appearances. You may, or may not, know this, but the late Princess Diana is sometimes called the "English Rose" and she grew roses too. I thought that might be a good explanation / reason for Xander's rather unusual hobby.

Mmm, Black Forest cake...

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_Ernie:_ **_nycazn7_**

I know I'm drawing out, but there were quite a few bases I wanted to cover before diving into the school year. Some of them are more fun than others. The school year is approaching though and you won't have to wait much longer to see what House Talia ends up in. Pleeeaaase like this chapter!

_Ernie: **Winter. Blaze**_

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If you liked the Draco/ Talia interaction in the last chapter, you're gonna love this!!!

_Ernie:** Charmedchick11**_

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Want more? Here's more! I should hope that there's enough Draco/ Talia scenes in here to satisfy even you! Enjoy!

..oo00oo..

I'd also like to thank, the wonderful **Nightcrawler** once again for coming to my rescue with his amazing, super-human, beta skills!

..oo00oo..

_Ernie: We. Were. Also. Wondering. What. Happened. To. Our. Other. Reviewers._

Ernie! Whether or not we get reviews for this story, we will courageously see it to the end!

We can't help but wonder however, if there's a serial killer out there, hunting down our poor reviewers one by one! How else can we explain the decreasing number of reviews for each new chapter?

_ cricket cricket_

Are you guys still out there?

_ cricket cricket_

I do try to update every week / 10 days, you know...

_Ernie: Please. Review! It's. Sad. We. Know. But. It. Makes. Our. Day. _

..oo00oo..

**Chapter 13: Heating things up**

"The Three Broomsticks is that way," said Draco by Talia's ear.

His breath on her skin tingled. He sat behind her on the broomstick with his arms around her waist, his thighs pressing against hers. She had insisted that she fly them there, though he was the more capable and experienced flier.

"I know, but I've discovered another _charming_ little bar over there," she pointed.

Draco lifted an eyebrow in surprise.

"The _Hog's Head_?!"

She turned round to face him.

"Have you been there before?"

He scoffed.

"Of course."

Just like Knockturn Alley was the dark alternative to Diagon Alley, so was the _Hog's Head_ to the _Three Broomsticks _in Hogsmeade. Of course Draco had been there before!

"I just didn't expect it to be your kind of place," he said, his eyes narrowing as they regarded his companion.

"You've only just met me. You don't know what my kind of place is like."

But then again, hadn't he already guessed from his father's reaction to her that there was more to Talia than met the eye? The girl intrigued him.

In the late afternoon, Talia landed the broomstick in front of the pub. She was a fair flyer, Draco decided, but she would never make it on any quidditch team. Draco took the broom and they walked together into the filthy looking pub.

..oo00oo..

Suspicious eyes followed them as they made their way to the bar.

"Mistress Talia," spoke the large, sweaty, unshaven man behind the bar. His eyes snapped to Draco's blond head. "Master Malfoy," he added, slightly surprised at seeing them together. "What can I get you two?" It was clear that the barman thought nothing of the fact that the two of them were obviously underage.

Talia turned to Draco.

"I don't know much about wizarding drinks. Would you mind ordering for the both of us?"

His eyebrow lifted. It seemed to be doing that a lot since he'd met her. Was she testing him? He'd give her a run for her money, he decided with a smirk.

"Two _Dragon Riders_ and a couple of shots of _Hippogriff Blood_."

Out of habit, Talia took the time to survey her surroundings. There were two old men at the bar, mumbling into their drinks, a grimy-looking couple disgustingly making out in one of the pub's dark corners and four rowdy-looking men who drunk their drinks amidst guffaws and much thumping on the wooden table. But it was the three people at a table not too far off from the bar that caught her eye. There were two men and a woman at that table and Talia couldn't help noticing that they were watching her and Draco. Talia looked straight back at the woman and their eyes met. The other woman lowered her eyes first. Talia smirked smugly in silent triumph, but there was something disturbingly familiar about those people that nudged at the back of her mind.

Draco offered her a shot glass of some bright red liquid.

"To new friendships?" he offered with a smirk.

"To new friendships," she agreed.

Simultaneously, they shot back the alcohol and Talia felt it burn its way down her throat. She didn't like it much, its flavour too sickly sweet for her taste, but it was strong, and that was exactly what she was after. On the rare occasions she still managed to indulge her wild side, all she cared about, was simply letting go.

She grinned at Draco and he smirked back. Talia had fast come to the conclusion that Draco didn't smile. The closest he'd get to it, was his trademark smirk.

"Not bad," she said approvingly, then took a taste from the green concoction she'd heard him call a _Dragon Rider_. That too was strong, but she couldn't evaluate its strength properly, right after the shot. She lookedback at Draco. Was he trying to get her drunk? Testing her as she was testing him? Interesting. She took another sip. The drink's minty taste suited her better than the shot, and she swirled the liquid around in her mouth.

He led her to a table in the centre of the room.

"So, tell me about yourself, Draco Malfoy," she started, flirtatiously.

Draco smirked again and started talking.

..oo00oo..

"...Pansy turned Millicent into a pig, but not before Millicent managed to turn Pansy into a cow! The entire House was in stitches! Who would have thought that those two paid enough attention in Transfiguration, to actually learn how to do human transfiguration?!"

Talia had tears of laughter running down her face by the time Draco's story reached its end. They were both laughing a little too loudly due to the copious amount of alcohol they had consumed. Neither cared.

"So, what year was this in?"

"We're only taught human transfiguration in sixth year, Talia. It was just a few months ago, before school ended for the summer."

"Draco, surely they're not that bad!"

"You only say that because you haven't met them yet."

"Is that a smile I spy, Draco Malfoy?"

Draco's smile abruptly turned back into a smirk. He must be very drunk, he decided, to have let his guard down like that!

"Malfoys don't smile!" he protested. But he _was_ rather having fun, he admitted to himself.

Talia giggled at his reaction.

"Now you're just being silly! Everyone smiles. I bet even the Ruler of the Underworld smiles once in a while!"

"Yeah, sure," he drawled, then laughed drunkenly about it.

After a slight hesitation, Talia followed his example. She knew better of course, having seen her father smile on more than one occasion, though it was rare.

"I'm going to the bathroom," Draco said, getting up. "I'll be right back."

Talia took her time to look around her once again.

The lights in the dim pub looked a little brighter than what she logically knew they should be, and the world seemed to have decided that being parallel to the sky, was much too boring, and was currently doing a sensual dance to the Latin beat in her head. Talia knew she was tipsy, but didn't care. Well, well, who would've guessed?! Draco Malfoy was rather fun after a few _Dragon Riders_! She smiled into her glass. And unlike most of her past drinking buddies, he seemed to be able to hold his alcohol as well as she did. It was a relief to know. The last thing she needed was to have to babysit a drunk, underage, wizard.

She took another long drink from her glass. Though Draco had kept on with his _Dragon Riders_, Talia had switched to _Hell's Call_ after her first drink. _Hell's Call_ was a drink she had discovered on one of her previous trips to the Hog's Head. It looked like brandy, but tasted of strong spices and smoke. She tried to count how many drinks she had actually had. She was pretty sure Draco had had eight – or was it nine? – _Dragon Riders_. That meant that she'd had around eight _Hell's Calls_ herself. Not to mention the initial _Dragon Riders_ and occasional shots they'd both had throughout the evening.

Talia shrugged and took another sip as she once again examined her surroundings. Old habits die hard, and her father's training was difficult to ignore.

As the night had descended, the pub had filled, but the small group of people that had seemed so familiar earlier, had just become even smaller, Talia noticed.

The woman was missing.

..oo00oo

Draco was washing his hands under the filthy taps in the stinking toilets of the _Hog's Head. _Despite his rather advanced degree of intoxication, he couldn't help but turn his nose up at the sight of what was most certainly urine, on the bathroom floor. He hurried his efforts at the sink.

"Hello..." he heard a woman's soft voice say from behind him.

He turned round.

Her hair was as black as midnight and her skin paler than the moon. She was almost luminescent under the dim, white light.

"You're not supposed to be here. This is the men's bathroom," he said dazedly. "Who are you?" he couldn't prevent himself from asking.

Despite the alcohol in his system, Draco was mildly disgusted to hear his voice hitch at her sight. The woman was stunningly beautiful and he, a young man of seventeen, could no more hide his reaction to her than he could bring Merlin back to life.

"Who I am doesn't matter, does it?" she said in her lilting, teasing voice.

Draco stopped thinking.

"I've spent the last few hours watching you. You're very handsome..."

She had some sort of accent and there was an infinitely magnetic quality about her glittering black eyes. Suddenly, Draco found himself unable to focus on anything but her ruby lips, and he felt himself walk towards her. She met him halfway. It was as if she floated to him.

"So handsome..." she said as she raised her fingers to his hair and fingered the golden locks.

Draco was frozen by her charm. He stood transfixed in front of this beautiful woman. Time itself seemed to stand still.

_One heartbeat, two heartbeats..._

She bent her head and he felt her warm breath on his neck. He closed his eyes in complete supplication. Her lips parted and a pair of lethal fangs appeared, millimetres away from his tender flesh.

"Get away from him!" snarled Talia, lunging at the woman who had been ready to sink her teeth into Draco. She pulled her off him by the hair, and threw her across the room.

Draco stood there, shaking his head to clear it from the enchantment the vampire had placed on him.

"Mine!" Talia hissed, in terms that the vampire would understand. It was meant to serve as a warning, from one Dark creature to another, in the ancient language that creatures like them understood. There was a blazing fire in the Phoenix's eyes. The vampire was infringing on her territory!

It didn't seem to work.

The woman let out an unearthly, frustrated yell as she threw herself at Talia. Talia grabbed the woman's upraised arm with one hand and used her other hand to carve long fingernail marks on the woman's cheek with her long, sharp nails. Blood that was almost black in colour filled the newly opened gashes. The woman drew away with a cry of pain. She raised her palm to cup her injured cheek then brought the bloodstained fingers to her mouth and licked off the sticky liquid. The scratches healed up before Talia's very eyes.

Draco came to, just in time to see the woman's companions arrive at the bathroom, eager to join in on what they assumed to be a feed. He pulled his wand out.

"Get away from us you blood-suckers!" he snarled at them as they barred their teeth at him. He hated vampires, and his pride still smarted from having to be rescued from one by a girl.

"Looks like we have to work for our dinner tonight, Zargon," hissed one of the dark men to the other.

"We could use the exercise, brother."

Draco let a sneer spread over his features. He wasn't just any ordinary wizard and he was only too aware of that fact. He was a Malfoy, and that meant that he'd had training in the Dark Arts since before he had even begun his attendance at Hogwarts. True, he had been warned under pain of death by his father not to use any of the Dark Arts while at school, but he and Talia were definitely not in school right now... Draco felt foolish to have been almost taken in by one of these creatures. He hated feeling foolish. Someone had to pay for that...

"_Inflamago_" he called, sending a whip of flames out of his wand at the nearest vampire.

The vampire barely managed to dodge it, but his sleeve caught fire.

All wizards, above the age of fourteen, knew that only three things could ever kill a vampire: sunlight, a wooden stake through the heart, and fire. Largely lacking in sunlight and wooden stakes, Draco resorted to using fire against his opponents. Not that he minded. He could have a lot of fun playing with fire...

Talia knew all about vampires too. That's why the creatures had seemed so familiar when she had seen them earlier. They had been despised in the Underworld for making no distinction on who they fed, be it demon, warlock, witch or mortal. Throwing a fireball at the snarling vampire she was fighting, would undoubtedly be terribly effective, but it would also give away the secret of her powers to Draco, and she didn't want to do that just yet.

She fended off yet another attack from the woman. Talia wasn't worried. In fact, she admitted to herself, she was having fun! The woman's fighting technique lacked any form or style, but she was determined, Talia would give her that. It seemed that the vampire's hunger made for good incentive.

Out of the corner her eye, she saw Draco fighting the other two vampires. Talia decided that that was something she wanted to see. She turned her attention back to the woman who lunged at her for the umpteenth time. The woman drew a small dagger.

Talia clucked her tongue in disapproval. The vampire must be getting pretty desperate to be willing to spill some of Talia's precious blood anywhere other than down her own throat. Even as the woman aimed the dagger at her, Talia pulled her wand out in one smooth motion.

"_Incedio_," she spoke calmly, pointing her wand at her opponent. The woman exploded in flames. It wasn't quite as fun as her own fireballs, Talia decided, but it would have to do.

She leaned casually on one of the bathroom walls and watched Draco have his own fun with the two male demons.

"_Inflamago_" drawled Draco once again, this time pointing his wand at one of the vampires' feet.

The vampire jumped high in the air to avoid the searing tendrils of flame that were aimed at him while his friend was still trying futilely to put out his burning arm.

"_Inflamago_"

The vampire jumped out of the way of the flames once again. He was dancing a cruel dance to the tune of Draco's wand, and the blond wizard was chuckling at his antics. Draco noticed out of the corner of his eye that the other vampire was finally successful at putting his arm out, so he momentarily turned his attention to him.

"_Inflamago_."

The vampire's face, which had only just managed to relax in relief at his arm no longer being on fire, contorted back into a grimace of pain as Draco's makeshift flamethrower enveloped his lower body in high flames.

"Show off!" he heard Talia snort from somewhere on his right.

He grinned and in the light of the burning vampire he looked almost feral. He shot another absentminded _inflamago_ at the dancing vampire.

"Hurry up, would you Draco? I want another drink," she whined.

He took time to turn to her and pout. She laughed at his expression. But despite his pouting, he soon turned back to the remaining vampire and finished him off with a softly spoken _incedio_, like Talia had done.

He turned fully to face her then.

"Enjoyed the show?"

"Not bad," she admitted. "Will you teach me that spell you used?"

His eyes narrowed momentarily, before his face contorted to a smug smirk.

"It's a dark spell. They don't teach stuff like that at Hogwarts."

"But will you teach it to me?" she asked again, unperturbed by his revelation.

Draco laughed.

It wasn't as if she hadn't used dark magic before... Some of that magic had even proved very useful in the demon fighting she had come to face back at the manor. Leo had strictly disapproved of course, and so did the Charmed Ones, but Talia was firmly convinced that magic was never purely good, or evil, on its own. It all depended on who used it, and for what purpose. What was that saying she had heard used once? 'Guns don't kill people, people kill people.' It was the same with magic. And she had proved it to all of them. Despite her occasional use of Dark magic against her father's minions, the Halliwell Book of Shadows still allowed her to touch it. Wyatt was convinced, though he himself refrained from using Dark Magic. But Leo and the Charmed Ones still frowned upon her doing it.

"Some other time," Draco answered vaguely. He drawled slyly, "I thought you mentioned something about another drink..."

Talia smiled at him and they walked out of the bathroom together.

..oo00oo..

Draco and Talia landed rather badly on the green grass outside Hogwarts.

They both had been very, very drunk by the time they left Hogsmeade, and Draco had insisted that he be the one to fly them back. Talia had tried to argue, but it was no use. He was obviously the most experienced flier of the two.

But despite Draco's experience and talent for flying, flying drunk wasn't the best idea either of them had ever had. Flying above Hogsmeade, they had nearly crushed too many times to count. The trip back to Hogwarts was filled with exciting moments of Talia holding onto Draco for dear life, and Draco holding onto Talia to prevent her from falling off the broom to her death.

Overall, the landing wasn't that bad. Draco had realised that they were descending too fast and had tried to pull them up at the last minute. He had almost succeeded too! Almost.

Talia lay on her back on the cool grass giggling at their predicament. In the hazy world created by too many _Hell's Calls_ to count, she found their landing hilarious and the scratches on her arms and legs didn't bother her.

Draco found himself in a rather similar condition. Grinning in a very un-Malfoy-ish fashion, he crawled over to where she lay.

"You think that was funny?" he asked in mock indignation. The goofy grin at the end of his speech proved otherwise.

"Absolutely!" she giggled.

And Draco lunged at her.

Talia squealed and rolled around on the ground, trying to squirm out of his strong grasp. Draco rose to his knees to get a better grip on her. Talia didn't stand a chance. Not that she was really trying. In a few careful moves he had her pinned, both hands held in one of his above her head against the ground, his lower body covering her own to keep her in place. Her laughter echoed in the summer night. Neither of them cared if anyone heard.

"Well, it appears you've got me now, Mr. Malfoy," she teased. "What do you plan on doing with me?"

His grey eyes bore into her brown ones. They were both panting heavily. Talia's heart raced. He leaned down over her and his lips covered her own. She returned his kiss hungrily. Their tongues danced between them.

He tasted of mint. She tasted of cinnamon. It made for an explosive combination.

Clothes were soon discarded in the heat of the moment.


	14. The Morning After

**A/N: **Please don't kill me!

_Ernie: It's. Short._

I know it's short! That's why I asked them not to kill me!

But I did promise a new chapter every week and the next chapter is the long-awaited one when Harry and the rest of the gang make a full fledged appearance. I didn't want to start that until I got this out of the way.

To make up for the, err…

_Ernie: Shortness._

glares at himYes, thank you Ernie. For the _shortness _of this chapter, I'm going to try to update before the week is up.

_Ernie: What. About. The. Thank. Yous?_

No time Ernie. But you can list all the kind people who reviewed, if you want.

_Ernie: Thank. You. **Nyc-azn7**. Thank. You. **Charmedfanatic3000**. Thank. You. **Winter.**** Blaze. **Thank. You. **Svata2004**. Thank. You. _**_Frances_**_. Thank. You. **Nexos23**. Thank. You. **Mcgirl**. Thank. You. **Harrypotterfan4eva**. Thank. You. **Kwitchr**.Thank. You. **Ori**. Thank. You. **Triquetraperson**. Thank. You. **Shamanogler**. Thank. You. **Mixer**._

Took you long enough! Still can't help but notice that among the well-loved, familiar names, there seem to be some lovely new ones! sobI feel so loved!

One last thank you to do...

Thank you** Nightcrawler**!

... and on with the show!!!

..oo00oo..

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**Chapter 14: The Morning After**

"Talia?"

Nothing.

"Talia...?"

"Hrmf..."

"TALIA!"

"Go away," Talia mumbled under the covers.

"You'll miss breakfast..." grinned Wyatt, poking his cousin through the heavy blankets that were a necessity in the draughty castle despite the heating charms.

Talia's stomach churned at the mention of food.

"Don't want breakfast," she moaned.

"Where did you and Draco go last night?" Wyatt continued, curious.

"Hogsmeade. For a few drinks," Talia managed to underestimate. "Now go away and let me die in peace."

But Wyatt did not go away.

"No one saw you guys leave. I was looking for you..."

She said nothing, feigning sleep, hoping against hope that her darling cousin would just leave her alone already!

"Professor Snape and Mr. Malfoy finished their business around three am. They had to spent the rest of the night looking for you too."

Perfect silence. The mountain of bed covers and pillows never moved.

"You realise you came back at five this morning, giggling like a psychopath, stumbling over every piece of furniture in this room, till you finally collapsed into bed, don't you?"

Silence.

"Look, I'm sorry if I woke you up when I came back last night, ok? Now, _go away_," Talia's voice sounded muffled under the covers, but the order in it was unmistakeable.

Wyatt sighed in defeat. He knew better than to expect an answer from Talia regarding one of her escapades.

They had become more or less routine in the Halliwell household. Talia would behave for a couple of weeks; go to school, work hard, be friendly to everyone - well, almost everyone, Wyatt amended – and then, all of a sudden, it would be as if she had had enough of being nice. She would change into the kind of clothes 'nice' girls never wore, and leave the house with a cold 'I'm going out'.

When Wyatt had asked where it was that she went, she had shrugged and said that mostly she just went to some bar for a drink. She was underage of course, and it was illegal, but she always got away with it and she had tried to explain to a scandalised Wyatt that that was the whole point. It was, she concluded, the demon in her that sometimes felt the need to do something 'bad', to break some rules. It didn't have to be anything big, and now that she was good, she wouldn't do anything _really_ evil, she assured him, but she did need the occasional release from the pressures of being the "good" girl the Halliwells wanted her to be all the time. She flirted with strangers shamelessly, sat on dirty barstools, drank rather risky drinks out of filthy glasses, danced to the rhythms of bar jukeboxes, and begun conversations with scary-looking characters in establishments of ill repute... All in all, it was no more than any wild teenager did. Wyatt believed her.

More importantly, Wyatt knew that Talia was no fool, and was careful not to allow herself to be too vulnerable even under those circumstances. She never got herself involved in situations she couldn't handle. Before last night, Wyatt had never seen his cousin drunk, and, despite any adventures – or misadventures – she might have had the night before, she _always_ made the next day's morning training. Which is what made this morning's situation so funny, he concluded with a smile.

Unlike Wyatt though, the Charmed Ones had no idea where Talia went on her "outings". If they had, Wyatt knew that they would've been absolutely livid with her! As it was, they simply did not approve of her returning at all hours of the night after doing goodness-knows-what where they could not protect her. They used to get rather vocal about their disapproval. Phoebe had even forbidden her to leave once.

Wyatt winced at the memory.

Talia had very coldly said that she would go wherever she liked and there was nothing that they could do to stop her. Phoebe had tried to remind her how dangerous it was to leave without telling anyone where she was going, with all those demons after her. In all honesty, Phoebe had good reason to worry. But Talia retorted that she had managed just fine without them before, and she was certainly able to do so now. It had been a terrible row, and Talia had threatened to leave the Manor for good; had said something about living on her own for a while. Phoebe had been in tears, and Talia had flamed out of the house anyway. Two days later, having worried the Charmed Ones to death, Talia finally came back. Apologies didn't come easy for the Princess of the Underworld, and it was fortunate for both parties that the Halliwells knew her well enough by then to understand that she was sorry. But Talia still insisted that she needed some time to herself every once in a while. Phoebe hadn't dared contradict her. Neither had anyone else for that matter. When Talia was in one of her moods, they all just stayed out of her way.

The always cheerful Wyatt didn't allow himself to get dragged down by these thoughts. What Talia did when she went out on her own, was her own business. If something happened that Wyatt would need to know about, she would tell him. He trusted her completely.

"Professor Snape made some hangover potion, if you're interested..." he tried to tempt her.

Talia finally stirred at that. She peeked from under the covers.

Wyatt grinned at her. She looked terrible. Her sleep tussled hair did nothing to help her looks.

"He did?"

He nodded.

"Apparently Draco Malfoy needed it before he and his father left for home last night - or should I say early this morning - when the both of you came back. I don't think his father was very pleased."

Talia didn't comment on that. She concentrated on getting out of bed. It was supposed to be a simple task, and it was alarming how she had to focus all of her attention on not falling.

"So where's this hangover potion?" she asked.

"Professor Snape said he'd have it for you at breakfast."

Talia groaned.

"I may need some help getting there," she admitted.

..oo00oo..

"Come in," instructed Professor Dumbledore's voice through the thick door of his office.

"Good morning, sir," said Wyatt the moment he followed the headmaster's instructions.

"Good morning," said Talia, closely behind her cousin.

"Good morning to you both. Please, take a seat. Lemon drop?"

Wyatt grinned before taking one of the proffered sweets. He loved lemon drops almost as much as Dumbledore did. Talia followed suit, but not quite with as much enthusiasm.

The portraits of past headmasters smiled fondly at them and Talia and Wyatt returned those smiles. Many were the times when, after receiving permission from Dumbledore, the two cousins had spent some pleasant time talking to the wise men and women that decorated the room's walls.

"You wanted to see us, sir?" asked Wyatt.

"I did, Mr Halliwell. It has come to my attention that you are both doing exceptionally well in your studies, a fact that I would like to commend you upon."

Wyatt and Talia grinned with pleasure.

"I think I speak for both of us, sir, when I say that we are very grateful for the opportunity you've given us to attend Hogwarts and for the efforts the Professors have taken to make sure we are up to the same standard of magical education as our classmates. They've taken time out of their own holidays to do that, and we'd just like to say how much we appreciate everything everyone here has done for us," Talia politely said.

Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled behind their rimless glasses.

"There is no need for you to thank us, my dear, it has been an absolute pleasure, I assure you. The reason I have called you here, is that my professors have advised me that you are in fact ready for the school year, ahead of schedule. You can even leave today if you want and have a full two weeks holiday with your family before you have to return to Hogwarts along with the other students. It looks like you will be getting some form of summer holiday after all!"

Talia and Wyatt grinned. They loved Hogwarts, but the beginning of the school year starting on the first of September, meant that they wouldn't get to go home until the Christmas holidays and, having been away from home the entire summer, they missed their family, for all that they had occasionally dropped by for a visit.

"That's fantastic news professor!" Talia enthused. "Not that we haven't enjoyed our time here, we have, but..." she quickly amended.

"There's no need to explain, Miss Turner," said the headmaster rising from his seat. "I understand. "I'm sure you're eager to start packing. You are welcome to leave anytime you want, of course."

"Could we say goodbye to the other Professors, first, sir?" asked Wyatt.

"Certainly, Mr. Halliwell. I believe they would like that very much."

Professor Dumbledore walked them to the door.

"Goodbye, Professor," said Wyatt, shaking the old man's hand. "I guess we'll see you in a couple of weeks."

Talia extended her hand to shake the hand Dumbledore offered her, but changed her mind halfway. She had never had a grandfather, but if she did, Talia would have liked him to be rather like Dumbledore; kind, wise and with just a tiny hint of madness to keep things interesting. She wrapped her arms around the old man's neck in a hug.

"Thank you for everything, sir, and goodbye. We'll see you in a couple of weeks!"

The two teenagers left behind a happily bemused headmaster.

**A/N: **This way, Talia and Wyatt have an excuse for being on the train...

Yup, just like I said in my above note, the long awaited chapter is almost here! In the next instalment, I'm bringing in the rest of the gang!


	15. The School Year Begins

**A/N:** Hello All!

_Ernie: We. Are. Hereby. Proud. To. Present. The. Next. Chapter. In. This. __Marathon__. Of. A. Fic. _

And now for the thank yous! Take it away Ernie!

_Ernie: We'd. Like. To. Thank. **Winter. Blaze.**_

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Thanks honey, for your continued support!

_Ernie: **Ori**_

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I haven't gotten my paper back, and they've already set me a new one. What is wrong with these people??!!

Anyway, getting back to more important subjects (i.e. fanfiction), there is some yummy Draco in this chapter, and there's plenty more in chapters to come! The HP gang has a leading role here and we're really starting to get in the thick of things now...!

_Ernie: **Svata2004**_

****

Heeeere's more...!

_Ernie: **Triquetraperson**_

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Poor Snapey! He's such a deliciously dark character! If he doesn't know how to make a hangover potion, then who does?! Can't you just picture him brooding over a glass of good brandy by the fireplace in the middle of the night, pondering life, death, Voldemort, the war, and his own warped role in it? I couldn't resist.

_Ernie: **Charmedsisters**_

Hmm, a demon attack at Hogwarts? I don't think I'm ready for that yet. If I do have demons attack at Hogwarts, it'll be later. As it is, there'll be plenty of action to satisfy even hard core action fans like me, in this story! You can bet your life on that!

_Ernie: **nyc-azn7**_

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I do try to update every week. Admittedly, it doesn't always work, but I do try... Yes, you're getting very, very close to finding out what houses Talia and Wyatt will be in. Next chapter in fact, if all goes to plan. And don't worry, Talia's conflicted nature is supposed to confuse you in trying to guess which House she'll be put in.

_Ernie: The. Absolutely. Wonderful. **Mixer**_

Admit it! You just say that Ernie, because he keeps complimenting you!

_Ernie: Yes. Isn't. It. Great?_

grumblesStupid, spoilt brat of a laptop!

The long Awaited time of characters shall soon be upon us, indeed! I hereby present... the HP gang! I'm so glad someone appreciates the subtle art of... well, subtleness! I'm working hard on it. I don't want to give too much information away too quickly, so you'll have to look out for little information I deliberately let slip about the characters, their past, and their thoughts.

_Ernie: __And.__ You. Must. Be. Clever. Indeed. **Mixer. **To. Have. Identified. My. Genius. Behind. Cinammon's. Overvalued. Efforts!_

growls One more word Ernie, and I'll conveniently forget to charge you tonight...!

_Ernie: On. With. The. Rest. Of. The. Thank. Yous. Thank. You. **Anna**_

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Thanks for reviewing **Anna**! It's always great to hear from new reviewers! I've got your email, and an email update list, so I'll put you that, shall I? Your saying that you love my story, really made my day!

..oo00oo..

As mentioned again and again, this is the chapter where the HP gang makes its full fledged appearance. I hope you like it! Please excuse any mistakes you might find. This chapter is unbetaed, because poor **Nightcrawler** is just swamped with work and couldn't beta it on time. I couldn't stand the idea of letting you wait another week though, so I uploaded the chapter as is.

Don't forget to review!

..oo00oo..

****

**The School year begins**

"Oomf!"

Talia landed neatly - and rather painfully - on her backside.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there," a girl's voice said from somewhere above her.

Talia looked up to see the concerned face of a girl around her age, with chocolate brown eyes and cinnamon curls.

"Don't be. My fault too, I'm afraid," apologised Talia, "I wasn't really looking where I was going either."

She took the girl's proffered hand to raise herself to her feet.

The girl seemed to take in the trunk that Talia had been dragging around for the past fifteen minutes, and grinned.

"May I ask what Platform you're looking for?"

Talia's eyes travelled to the trunk that was nearly identical to her own, resting on the floor behind the girl.

She smiled back.

"You wouldn't happen to know where Platform 9 ¾ is, do you?"

The girl's grin widened.

"I'm Hermione Granger," she said offering her hand, "I'm a seventh year at Hogwarts. I take it you're new?"

"Talia Turner," Talia said, taking Hermione's hand in her own, "Yes, I'm new. I'll be a seventh year too."

"Tal, I can't-" whined a handsome, blond boy behind them, before he realised that Talia was not alone.

Talia's grin widened as she turned to her cousin to make the introductions.

"Hermione, this is my cousin, Wyatt Halliwell. Wyatt, this is Hermione Granger. She goes to Hogwarts too."

"Hi!" offered Wyatt shaking Hermione's hand. "You wouldn't happen to know where we can find this damned Platform 9 ¾, would you? We've been looking for it for the past fifteen minutes!"

Hermione chuckled.

"It's right there," she said, pointing at the wall separating Platforms 9 and 10.

Talia and Wyatt shared a look, both thinking that maybe Hermione_ wasn't quite right_. Seeing this, Hermione smiled indulgently and tried to explain.

"The wall is just an illusion to cover the entrance to the platform. Do exactly as I do," she said before wheeling her trunk in front of the brick wall. Talia and Wyatt watched in horrified fascination as she accelerated before hitting the wall dead on. They watched Hermione disappear behind the seemingly solid wall without a trace.

Talia and Wyatt looked at each other and Wyatt shrugged, before retrieving his own trunk and repeating Hermione's actions. With a single resigned sigh, Talia was quick to follow.

..oo00oo..

"Hermione!"

Hermione turned towards the sound of her name.

"Harry! Ron!"

In a whirl of curls, Hermione flung herself at her best friends.

"Hermione! I can't breathe!" laughed Harry, spitting some of her hair out of his mouth.

"Sorry Harry," the small girl said, but the enormous grin on her face showed her to be anything but.

Hermione ignored the whining Harry for a moment, and hugged Ron. Ron lifted his petite friend off the ground and she squealed. He laughed.

"Put me down Ron!"

"Or what?"

"Or I'll hex you. I've been reading up on hexes this summer, you know. I found some lovely ones I'm just itching to try out..."

Hermione's feet touched the ground.

"Hey Hermione!" called a bouncing redhead behind the two boys.

Ginny Weasley had been pushed behind the much taller Harry and Ron, in the excitement of seeing the final member of their quartet for the first time since the end of school at the beginning of the summer. Despite the increasing danger the wizarding world was in, or perhaps because of it, Hermione's parents had insisted that their muggleborn daughter spend her entire last summer as a student, with them at their carefully warded house, courtesy of Headmaster Dumbledore.

"Ginny!"

The girls hugged fiercely. Harry laughed.

"One would think you haven't seen each other for years!"

Ginny finally let go of Hermione and the older girl turned to swat Harry gently on the shoulder.

The brunette's eyes took in the two cousins who had followed her onto the platform. They were looking around in amazement. She moved to Talia and Wyatt and turned to face her friends.

"Everyone, it looks like we have some new students at Hogwarts this year. This is Wyatt Halliwell," she said pointing at Wyatt who gave a friendly wave, "and this is his cousin-"

"Talia," breathed Harry in a shocked expression. His big, green eyes grew to the size of dinner plates and were completely and utterly focused on the girl with the dark brown eyes and straight, chestnut hair that had haunted his dreams on a hot August night.

Talia's smile faltered.

..oo00oo..

Everyone else simply looked from Talia to Harry in confusion.

Talia looked at Harry suspiciously. She was pretty sure he wasn't a demon... Talia didn't remember ever seeing the boy before, but there was always the chance that he was one of the many creatures, demons, and warlocks she had met at her father's court in the Underworld and she just didn't remember. Talia hoped not. The last thing she wanted was for the Underworld to learn of her whereabouts. The very thought that what happened last year could happen again, sent shivers down her spine.

Wyatt sent her a concerned look. She could tell he was thinking the same thing.

"Do you two know each other?" asked Ron looking at Harry curiously.

"I'm sorry," asked Talia politely, but with a smile that showed entirely too many teeth, "have we met before? I'm pretty sure I would've remembered."

Her voice was silky smooth and there was a dangerous undertone to it.

"No, _I_'m sorry," stammered Harry, "I-I..."

He searched frantically for an excuse. It's not like he could tell them that he had dreamed about this very same girl, which he had never met before, during the summer! But the dream had been all too real for him. Even now, if he closed his eyes, he could replace Talia's smiling face with her wide, terrified eyes as the young girl was seduced by Voldemort's invisible presence. Harry blushed.

"You just looked like a Talia, that's all," he finished lamely.

It was pretty clear from everyone's faces that none of them believed him. Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Wyatt looked from Harry to Talia. Talia caught Harry give the others a look that promised he would tell them what just happened, later. The situation had become awkward, so Talia chose not to push the issue for the moment. She smiled, outwardly diffusing the tension.

"Well, you're right on that," she said, extending her hand for him to shake, "My name's Talia Turner."

Wyatt frowned slightly. It wasn't like Talia to let the matter drop, and he had feeling she hadn't.

"Harry Potter," said Harry, and expected her eyes to move sharply to his forehead and the lighting-shaped scar that marred it. The expected reaction never came.

"Pleased to meet you," said Talia.

..oo00oo..

Introductions made, the six of them moved to climb aboard the train. The boys helped the girls with their trunks. Harry invited Wyatt and Talia to join them in their compartment to make up for his earlier _faux pas_, and the cousins gratefully accepted.

He watched Talia settle herself on the seat opposite him and his thoughts drifted back to the dream he had nearly three weeks ago. There was more to this girl than met the eye and Harry was sure it had to do with Voldemort. But in his dream, or vision if you wanted to call it that, the girl had been frightened by the unknown intruder in her room. Harry had felt her fear, though she had masked it well. He was pretty sure that she had no idea who the ghostly presence that he had identified as Voldemort, was. Whoever she was, Harry knew that Voldemort was after her, and, as tactlessly as Hermione had once put it, Harry had "a thing for saving people". After Sirius, he wasn't willing to give up anyone else to Voldemort's clutches.

..oo00oo..

Talia dug for her reading book in her rucksack, and watched Harry under thick eyelashes.

There was a reason she had shaken his hand in greeting earlier. As the upper-level demon she used to be, she had the power to read people's magic. It was however, a skill that she had always been abysmal at, despite the efforts of Xander and her father. Unlike most upper-level demons, she couldn't do it subconsciously. She had to concentrate very hard for it to work. It was a weakness she had paid dearly for, when meeting Valdis a few months ago. After... the events of last year, she had tried to improve on it, but it seemed that, not being a full demon, made things a lot harder. Touching someone, made reading their auras easier, and so she had taken Harry's hand in supposed introduction in order to learn a little more about the green-eyed wizard.

Harry Potter was a very powerful wizard and the reading of his magic had been easier than most. She didn't feel any evil from him at all, a fact that she was very relieved to discover. But there was more to Harry than that. There was an undercurrent of a sweet, familiar scent that surrounded him, and she had known immediately what it was.

Harry had a destiny.

Not many people had a destiny. Contrary to popular belief, the fates dabbled only with the lives of the very few. But Talia was very much familiar with it. Her father had a destiny. Her mother and aunts, reeked of the stuff, and so did her cousin and uncle. Talia herself, had a destiny. More than one actually. She had kept the fates busy, forcing them to weave a new one every time she went against their plans. All in all, Talia was certain: Harry Potter was destined for great things.

She caught him watching her and she smiled up at him. He blushed and lowered his eyes. She resumed her reading.

..oo00oo..

"What year are you two in, then?" asked Ginny after a while.

"I'm a sixth year," answered Wyatt, "and Talia's a seventh year."

Ginny grinned.

"I'm a sixth year too. Everyone else here, is in their seventh year."

"So, Wyatt you're from America, right?" asked Ron.

He and Harry had set up a game of wizard's chess and were playing with gusto.

Wyatt smiled sheepishly.

"It's the accent, isn't it?"

Hermione smiled back.

"Which part of America?" she asked over her book.

"San Francisco."

"I've always wanted to go there," mused Ginny dreamily.

"You don't have the same accent, Talia," observed Harry, moving his bishop on the chessboard.

"Talia was raised by her father, Down Under," answered Wyatt for her, with a grin.

Talia rolled her eyes. The joke was getting old.

"My parents are divorced," she explained. "I only went to live with my mother, aunts, and Wyatt here, in San Francisco, last year."

"You don't have an Australian accent either," stated Ginny interestedly.

"My father is a bit of stickler when it comes to appearances. He wanted me to learn how to talk properly. I've had to take elocution lessons most of my life," she patiently explained.

"We don't often get new students other than first years," stated Harry. "In fact, in the past six years that we've been here, I can only remember four," he looked at Hermione for confirmation, "no, five – new students. Where did you guys go, before Hogwarts?"

"We were home schooled," said Talia easily. "Wyatt and I attended a muggle school and we were taught magic by our parents and aunts."

"So you're, half-bloods...?" asked Hermione with a slight frown.

Wyatt looked at Talia uncertainly.

"Something like that," Talia said.

"Not that it matters really," Wyatt put in quickly. Even though Talia was showing no particular reaction to the topic at hand, Wyatt knew exactly how sensitive she was about it.

But all Talia did was shrug.

"We don't believe in the importance of blood," she said firmly. "I've met purebloods definitely not worth knowing, and I've met muggles who most definitely were."

Talia thought about Perdicus and Judy. A truer statement had never passed her lips.

Hermione grinned.

"I know exactly what you mean," she said, thinking of a certain blond ferret and his friends.

"So, have you guys been sorted yet?" asked Ron, taking Harry's rook to a scowl from his best friend.

"Not yet," answered Wyatt, "we were told we'd be sorted with the first years at the Welcome Feast."

"Any idea which house you want to be in?" asked Ginny.

"There's four, right?" asked Wyatt, "Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Slytherin and Gryffindor. I read all about them in _Hogwarts A History_."

"You've read _Hogwarts A History_??" asked Ron, whipping round to stare at him in surprise.

Hermione's eyes twinkled in delight.

"She made me," said Wyatt with a grimace, pointing at Talia unenthusiastically.

Ron turned his incredulous look on her.

"You've _both_ read _Hogwarts A History_??!!"

Talia shrugged.

"I thought it'd be useful to know a few things about our new school."

"Blimey!" exclaimed Ron, "and I thought only Hermione ever bothered."

"Ron!" Hermione squealed, "there's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to read _Hogwarts A History!_ You'd do well to read it yourself sometime!" she finished smugly.

Ron rolled his eyes.

"I don't need to read it. I can just ask you about it, remember?"

Hermione huffed, but she andTalia shared an amused glance behind Ron's back.

"Back to houses," spoke Ginny excitedly, "which one would you like to get into?"

"I don't know," said Wyatt, "What house are you guys in?"

"Gryffindor!" announced Ron puffing his chest proudly, "It's the absolute best house there is!"

"Ron!" chastised Hermione. "The other houses are just as good. You don't know what house Wyatt and Talia will end up in."

"The house of the brave, huh?" teased Talia with a smile.

"That's us!" Ginny giggled.

"Gryffindor would be nice," mused Wyatt, "especially now we know you guys. I don't think I'm ambitious enough for Slytherin, or smart enough for Ravenclaw. Maybe Hufflepuff. I'm pretty loyal I guess."

"Don't put yourself down. I happen to think you're definitely smart enough for Ravenclaw, Wyatt. Although Gryffindor would probably suit you best. Where do you think I'll end up in?" Talia asked her cousin curiously.

"I think you'd do good in Gryffindor or Slytherin. You're pretty smart, so you might make it in Ravenclaw. Probably not Hufflepuff though. You're too lazy!"

"Hey!"

Ginny giggled.

"Don't worry Talia, I think with the exception of Hermione, the rest of us are all too lazy for Hufflepuff!"

Talia smacked Wyatt on the back of the head for good measure. He stuck his tongue out at her in retaliation.

"I think I'll probably end up in Gryffindor or Slytherin actually," she said thoughtfully.

"I doubt you'll end up in Slytherin, Talia," said Ron with a snort, "you're much too nice for those gits!"

"What's wrong with Slytherin?" asked Wyatt.

"They are all pure-blooded, prejudiced, self-centred bastards!" said Ron with feeling.

Talia decided to keep what she'd learnt of Slytherin from Draco to herself. She knew from the Hogwarts portraits of the animosity between the two houses.

"Ron!"

"Well I'm right aren't I, Hermione?"

"I'm sure not _all_ of them are like that, Ron!"

Harry decided to intervene before his two friends launched into another of their infamous shouting matches. He'd gotten to be quite an expert at it over the years.

"Slytherins are noted for their blood prejudices. You read _Hogwarts A History_ so you know that. And you, Talia, are obviously not prejudiced when it comes to blood, so somehow, we can't really see you ending up there."

He smiled at her and she smiled back. Blood prejudice in the wizarding world was a sore point with Talia. It reminded her too much of the blood prejudice she had to suffer in the Underworld. Not even the fact that she was the Source's daughter seemed to make up for her not being a pure-blooded demon.

"In my first year, before I was sorted," Harry continued, "someone told me that there wasn't a wizard gone bad who wasn't from Slytherin, and I can't say I blame them for that view. Slytherins are much more likely to turn to the Dark Arts than students from other houses. They're ambitious and cunning for a reason. Ever heard of Voldemort?"

The others looked at Harry curiously. Who hadn't heard of Lord Voldemort?

But apparently Talia and Wyatt hadn't heard of him, as they both shook their heads.

Everyone else in the compartment looked at them disbelievingly.

"You've never heard of You-Know-Who?!" asked Ron.

Talia raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"If we've never heard of him how can we-know-who you're talking about?"

Harry felt justified. In his dream, Talia wasn't aware who the presence that had entered her room was. Voldemort was after her, and she didn't know what she would be up against! He vowed not to let her fall into his grasp.

Harry launched in the tale of the darkest wizard alive. He told them about Voldemort attending Hogwarts, and he told them what he knew about Voldemort's first rise to power, but when he got to his own first involvement in foiling Voldemort's plans, he stumbled, and Hermione had to take up the tale.

He finally saw Talia's and Wyatt's eyes flicker to his forehead and the infamous lightning shaped scar.

They only spoke of things that were common knowledge, refusing to disclose much information about the quartet's involvement with Voldemort through their years in school, but it was enough. Only the arrival of the witch with the sweet cart managed to lift their spirits after the tale was told.

..oo00oo..

The compartment's door slid open.

"Well, well, well," drawled a familiar voice and Talia lifted her head from the book she was reading. "Good morning Potter. Still doing charity work, hanging around the weasels and the mud-?"

Their eyes locked; icy grey on liquid brown.

"_Talia?!_ I was looking for you!" the blond scowled, "What are you doing with these jerks?"

Talia's expression became stony as Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny turned to look at her curiously. Wyatt glared at Draco.

"It's nice to see you too, Draco," she drawled back amusedly. "I would very much appreciate it if you didn't insult my new friends."

He sneered.

"Since when do you call the scum of the earth your _friends_? Come," he said regally, offering his hand to help her out of her seat, "my compartment's that way. The company's much better there, I assure you."

Talia didn't much care for the blond's commanding tone. Surely he didn't think he owned her simply because they had slept together? Her eyebrow rose slowly and dangerously.

"What makes you think I want to come with you, Draco?"

He scowled.

"What could you _possibly_ want with them, Talia? They're nothing but a bunch of goody-goodies who like to play hero. You and I are better than them! Now quit fooling around and let's get out of here."

_Ooh, Draco was losing his Malfoy cool! _Annoyance gave room to amusement. This was starting to look like fun, she decided wickedly.

"Feel free to leave Draco, but I'm staying right here," she flashed him a cheeky grin.

"Talia..." he growled impatiently.

Wyatt stood protectively in front of Talia, though he knew she didn't need it. It was instinctive really.

"Draco..." said the younger boy warningly.

Harry stood next to him, wand drawn. A deep scowl reserved exclusively for the young wizard marred his features.

"The lady said no, Malfoy!"

"Butt out Potter! This has nothing to do with you."

"The hell it does, Malfoy!" said Ron as he stood next to his best friend wand also at the ready. "It was us you insulted, remember?"

"Ron..." Hermione said warningly.

Malfoy smirked at the three boys.

"You think she needs your _protection_? Honestly Halliwell," he drawled, his eyes focusing on Wyatt, "I would've thought _you_ knew her better than that, her being your cousin and all..."

Wyatt bravely held Draco's knowing gaze. Inwardly, he winced at the truth of the wizard's words. Talia would give him hell about this later!

"You're obviously not wanted here, Malfoy," growled Harry, "Leave before you regret ever showing up."

Draco scowled.

"Last chance Talia..." he offered in a sing song voice that bellied his annoyance.

"Get lost Draco. I'll see you at school," sounded Talia's obviously amused voice from somewhere behind her 'protectors'.

Draco scowled at them one last time and turned on his heel. The compartment door slid shut once again.

"Good riddance!" mumbled Ron after him.

Talia chuckled behind him.

"What?" Harry asked confused.

"You should have seen your faces!" she laughed louder.

"Well, he's a bloody prat!" justified Ron.

"Don't take him so seriously," Talia said, calming down. "That'll piss him off more than anything."

"He doesn't exactly make himself easy to ignore, you know..." grumbled Ginny, who seemed to have taken as much offence from Draco's behaviour as her brother.

"Thanks for standing up for me guys," said Talia beaming warmly at the three boys. "No one's ever done that for me before."

The three boys blushed.

"It's not like you couldn't have handled him yourself, Tal," said Wyatt wryly, recognising how ridiculous the situation must've looked to his perfectly-capable-to-defend-herself-and-anyone-else-who-came-along cousin. If only he hadn't inherited his mother's unpredictable temper!

"I know, but it was nice to see you stand up for me anyway," she smiled warmly at him. But her eyes glittered teasingly.

"How do you two know Malfoy anyway?" asked Hermione curiously.

Wyatt looked at Talia hoping she'd have an answer.

"His grandfather used to know our great-grandmother," she said smoothly, "we met over the summer."

..oo00oo..

"Wow, Tal, come look at these!"

"They're beautiful," she breathed in awe. "What are they?"

"I don't know. We haven't covered them with Hagrid that's for sure! They look like horses only they're more..."

"Noble; magical..." she said in an awed voice.

"Yes."

"Can you two see the threstals?" asked Hermione, surprised.

"Is that what they're called?" Talia asked, extending a hand to pat one of the strange creatures.

Harry had been about to shout a warning when he saw with surprise that the threstal not only did not bite her hand off, but in fact, nuzzled gently at Talia's open palm.

"Can't _you_?" Wyatt frowned.

There was a strange look on Hermione's face, and Wyatt noticed for the first time the awkwardness that descended on the group. Ron put a hand on Hermione's shoulder and answered for her.

"Not until last year we couldn't. The threstals can only be seen by those who have witnessed death."

Talia and Wyatt shared a shocked look.

"Oh," managed Talia weakly, dropping her hand.

"Who's death did you see?" asked Ginny gently.

Talia and Wyatt shared another look.

"A friend's," he said lamely, thinking of Valdis, who wasn't exactly a friend. He couldn't have mentioned all the demons and warlocks they had vanquished, and he most definitely couldn't mention Talia's past misdeeds, although it was obvious from her expression that that was exactly what she was thinking at the moment.

Talia was strangely quiet and Wyatt was concerned. He tried to shift the focus of the conversation off her.

"Who did _you_ watch die?" asked Wyatt.

Ginny, Hermione and Ron exchanged guilty looks, and all three of them avoided looking at Harry.

"You remember what we told you about You-Know-Who on the train?

"The Wizarding world is at war. _Most_ students can now see the threstals," finished Ginny lamely.

She thought back to the attack at the end of last year and how she had watched Harry fire the Avada Kedavra at one of the Death Eaters who had attacked the school, to save her. Harry had been the only student to have used the Forbidden Curse at the fight, and it had taken a lot for him to do it.

Ginny was grateful. She would have been dead if it weren't for him. Twice now. But she could only imagine what he must've felt knowing that he'd had to resort to the curse that killed his parents. Harry was a lot more quiet nowadays; a lot more determined to see the end of the war and the end of Voldemort. There was an intensity that surrounded him, and it was obvious to anyone who cared to look at him, that he was indeed, both the hero, and the hope of the wizarding world. Even when he was simply joking around with his friends, something that wasn't happening nearly as often as it once did. The seventeen-year-old exuded something that was, old, tragic and powerful. Words couldn't quite describe it. It was as awe-inspiring as it was frightening, Ginny decided, and such a heavy burden on such young shoulders!

Had it been Talia thinking all of this, she would've recognised this quality in Harry, for what it was. Harry was a man on a mission. He knew what he would have to do, had accepted his fate, and was determined to see it through. It was inevitable when one had a destiny, Talia knew. But Ginny knew nothing of destinies. And so, she simply identified the quality as what made the Harry she'd known since she was 9, _the _Harry Potter of the wizarding world. And even Talia would've admitted that that was a close enough description.

Ginny turned her attention back to the conversation about the threstals. There was an awkward pause as everyone there, slipped furtive glances at an obviously upset Harry.

"His name is Voldemort. Not You-Know-Who," the green-eyed wizard whispered looking directly at her. It was her use of the name that had upset him, she realised with a jolt, "When will people get it through their thick heads?" Harry said between clenched teeth before stalking off into one of the carriages.

Ginny looked stricken. She hadn't meant to upset him! Ron put a comforting hand on his little sister's arm.

"Come on," said Hermione, taking Talia by the arm, in an attempt to relieve the tension. "Harry's found one of the big carriages. We can all share."


	16. The Sorting

**A/N:** Hello everyone!

You've been looking forward to this chapter, haven't you? All I have to say is, please don't shoot me if you don't like the outcome!

_Ernie: It. Was. A. Difficult. Chapter. To. Write. Wasn't. it. Cinammon?_

Indeed it was Ernie, indeed it was. And boy am I glad it's over!

_Ernie: __And.__ Now. For. The Thank. Yous. We'd. Like. To. Thank. **Svata2004**_

Glad you liked it. As per you request... heeere's more!

_Ernie: Thank. You. **Anna.**_

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My what a flattering review that was! Thank you. You made _my_ day by reviewing! Here's the sorting. Don't be too hard on me!

_Ernie: Thank. You. **Devlin.**** Rose.**_

I read all of my reviews and I appreciate every one of them, I promise! I try to post an answer to them in every next chapter, but I'm sure you know as well as the rest of us how life can get in the way of addiction... err... fanfiction, I meant to say fanfiction! It's not always easy to answer every review, but I'll have you know that I definitely remember you. I've always loved your name.

I know what you mean. Bad Boy Redemption is one of the great spices of life. Unfortunately, I love bad boys in real life as much as I love them in fiction, and that's a real pain in the butt! In fact, I hereby announce, that I have sworn off men! No, really. You don't believe me? For a while at least. Talia however, most certainly has not. And neither have the rest of the girls in the gang. I'm not giving away any pairings though. They are fun to write, but they are not central to the story. This is an Action/Adventure after all! You'll just have to keep your eyes and ears open in chapters to come.

_Ernie: Thank. You. **Nexos23.**_

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Yes, this is the other long awaited chapter, where you all finally get to find out what houses Wyatt and Talia are sorted into. No, Draco has no idea how to handle Talia. Even the most devoted Draco fans have to admit that Draco is very much a spoilt brat, used to getting what he wants. Talia just might have a few lessons to teach him up her sleeve.

_Ernie: Thank. You. **Songwithoutwords**._

I'm so glad you liked the previous chapter! And I really hope this chapter satisfies too, though I'm rather scared it won't. Let me know will you?

_Ernie: **Charmedfanatic3000.**_

****

Running out of good things to say? I don't know Alex, "excellent, excellent, excellent story" seems to hit the spot! My only fear is the exceedingly high standard you wonderful people have set me. I'm scared to death I won't be able to match it in chapters to come and you'll be disappointed in me. Well, here's more of hopefully the same! I hope you like it, and please let me know!

_Ernie: **Charmedsisters**_

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Thank you darling. Or is it darlings? Either way, thank you very much. Enjoy this next chapter!

_Ernie: Thank. You. **Nyc-azn7.**_

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Oh please don't die on me! Here's what happens next. Hope it makes you happy!

_Ernie: **Charmed148**_

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Glad to hear your exciting news! Made the academic team, you say? How exciting! Well done! And yes, I'm the first one to admit that real life has a way of interfering with fanfiction. ::sigh:: I've just looked at the HP Lexicon: it looks like the word is "thestrals". Neither threstals, nor thesrtals, so it would appear that we're both wrong. I'll correct it when I have the time. Thanks for the heads up!

As for Harry getting angry when Ginny calls Voldemort You-Know-Who, well... Harry went through a lot in the past five books, don't you think? After what happened in his sixth year – according to this story – he's more determined to see Voldemort's end than ever! So far, Harry had only been trying to survive and keep all his friends alive on the way, but now things have changed. Harry's grown up and he's become a man on a mission and a force to be reckoned with. Last year, he took an active, aggressive (he used the Avada), role in the war against Voldemort. He's stopped feeling sorry for himself (OotP) and he's now extremely pissed off. He's not willing to cut Voldemort any slack and that includes not giving him the satisfaction of being called anything other than his real name in all its disgusting glory. He can't do much for anyone else calling Voldemort You-Know-Who, but he does get upset hearing his friends use it. Especially since they've been fighting beside him for years. He doesn't _always_ have the same angry reaction he did there, but you have to remember that Harry has a volatile temper. Seeing the thestrals, reminds him of everything he's gone through with Voldemort and it's upsetting. The use of the epithet by Ginny upsets him because it comes at just the wrong time, when memories come rushing back. Ron used the epithet back in the train, and didn't provoke the same reaction. Harry noticed it then, but he let it slide. Perhaps the most upsetting part for him, was that _Ginny _was the one to use it. Out of all his friends, surely _she's _the one to have the most right to call Voldemort by his name. You see, other than Harry, Ginny's the one Voldemort made suffer the most. Does that make sense now?

_Ernie: Thank. You. **Winter.**** Blaze.**_

Your wish is my command, my queen. You asked for more, well here's more!

_Ernie: __And.__ Finally. Saving. The. Best. For. Last. **Mixer.**_

Have you any idea with what sense of anxiety and anticipation I look forward to your every review? I cannot help but dedicate this poor chapter to you for your kind words. "The sweet symphony of (my) words"? "Send(ing) shivers down (your) spine"? Wow! I don't feel worthy! The chapter that follows somehow pales in comparison. Even Ernie appreciates you!

_Ernie: __I.__ Do. You. Recognize. My. Worth. __And.__ Value.__ Even. When. No. One. Else. Will._

And you seem to be a fan of subtly introduced background information! My kind of guy! You're not single by any chance, are you? No, forget I asked. I've just remembered, I've temporarily sworn off guys!

..oo00oo..

On with the show! Please excuse any mistakes you might find in the following chapter. It hasn't been betaed. Poor **Nightcrawler** is drowning in work and hasn't managed to get back to me in time, but I didn't want to make you wait for this chapter.

Enjoy, and don't forget to review!

..oo00oo..

**Chapter 16: The Sorting**

Talia, Wyatt and their new friends walked into the large entrance hall to the squeals of the students that had gone before them. A ghostly apparition with a goofy grin and a bowtie floated gently in front of them carrying an armful of liquid-filled balloons.

"Don't even think about it Peeves!" threatened Ron.

Peeves let out an evil cackle.

"And who's going to stop me? You, Weasley?"

Wyatt glared at the poltergeist as he spied behind him a couple of second years covered from head to toe in green slime.

"That is enough Peeves!" he said firmly.

Peeve's ghostly eyes snapped to Wyatt and Talia who stood next to Ron and Hermione.

"Halliwell!" If the poltergeist could, it would seem that he would have paled at seeing Wyatt. His normally cheeky face twisted to a grimace of absolute terror. "I didn't think you and Turner would be back so quickly...! No, I definitely didn't see that one coming..." he said to himself before leaving abruptly.

"Wow!" exclaimed Ginny, "I don't think I've ever seen Peeves listen to anyone other than the Bloody Baron before..."

"Yeah, how did you do it?" asked Harry with a puzzled frown.

"And how did you know who Peeves was?" continued Hermione suspiciously. "I thought you said you were new."

"We are," answered Talia smoothly, "but, you know how we said we were home schooled? Well, we came here over the summer for a few summer lessons, just to make sure we were up to the same level as the rest of you. Dumbledore's idea. Just for a couple of weeks," she said, undermining their stay at Hogwarts purposefully, "but it was enough to... acquaint ourselves with the school and its... aspects. _Hogwarts A History_ helped too, of course," she told Hermione with a warm smile that would have won over Death itself.

Wyatt looked at his cousin with admiration. He envied her skill at smooth lying and half-truths. This particular skill came in handy when one was a witch living in the muggle world. And when one was a Wiccan living in the wizarding world, and didn't want their wiccan status known. Talia's skilful lying had already saved them on numerous occasions throughout the train ride, and Wyatt was glad that at least one of them could lie with ease. If it was up to him, he would have already spilled all their secrets to the four teenage wizards.

"That doesn't explain why Peeves seemed almost scared of you," prodded Hermione, seeming still unsatisfied with Talia's explanation.

Talia pressed a hand to her mouth trying to smother a laugh.

"Wyatt threatened to banish him to the afterlife," she managed.

Wyatt 'hrmfed' almost inaudibly.

"You know Wyatt, you really _should_ let it go. Dyeing your hair blue wasn't all that bad and the rest of the goo came off. Eventually..." said Talia with amusement.

Wyatt scowled.

"You don't know what you're talking about Talia. I had to scrub in the tub for hours to get that _pink_ goo off, and my hair was blue for a week! I will certainly _not_ let it go," he said loftily, crossing his arms over his chest, "not until I'm good and ready!"

"Aren't ghost banishings supposed to be really hard?" asked Ginny.

Another exchanged glance between the cousins.

"I saw my mother do it a few of times," Wyatt said, daring a half-truth. He neglected to say that not only had he witnessed more than a "few" of banishings, but in most occasions, he had been helping directly with them. Ever since he was seven years old!

Talia smiled at him. The sixteen-year-old was getting better at half-truths, but still terrible at outright lies. Wyatt grinned mischievously and the two cousins shared a secret look. She'd make a proper liar of him yet!

..oo00oo..

"Welcome back students, for another school year at Hogwarts!" spoke Professor Albus Dumbledore. "Before the sorting of the first years begins, I'd like to announce that this year we will be joined by two new students. Mr Wyatt Haliwell will be joining year six and Miss Talia Turner will be joining year seven. Our new students will be sorted along with the first years."

"And here I thought we could make a quiet entrance," mumbled Talia to Wyatt, under the intense gaze of hundreds of students, that assaulted them on coming in with the first years.

Professor McGonagall threw her a glare for speaking. Wyatt and Talia stood patiently with the first years waiting to be sorted.

..oo00oo..

Now sit up right and listen good

Don't moan and groan, you'll get your food.

There is a story here to be told

A tale as old as time.

Four friends there were,

Long ago,

That had one dream, one hope, one goal

To build a school of magic,

And furnish it with knowledge.

Fair Ravenclaw there was

And pretty Hufflepuff

Shrewd Slytherin

And Gryffindor the brave.

And _together,_ they toiled and worked

And made their dream come true.

The students came, and life was good,

A rowdy brood they were.

And the founders picked up from the throng,

Each, students for their own care

Rowena chose the clever ones,

Intelligent above the rest.

And Helga chose the loyal ones

Those unafraid of work.

Godric chose those with bravery

And courage, like his own,

And Salazar, the ambitious ones

With cunning of their own.

"Hey Tal," whispered Wyatt, "what house do you think Judy would be in if she were here?"

Talia looked him as if he were crazy.

"You're like a love-sick puppy, you know that?" she whispered back, a disgusted look on her face.

Wyatt grinned, not denying it.

"Oh, shut up and listen to the song!" an annoyed Talia said, rolling her eyes at her cousin's antics.

The school was young and happy then,

And love had filled the halls.

But that was all long ago

And I won't tell _that_ tale.

Sufficient is to say to you,

That the founders were happy then,

And they liked the way things were.

It was then a lucky thing

They thought to ask themselves,

What the school would do, once they were gone,

To split the students fair.

Good 'ole Gryffindor

Whipped me off his head

And placed me on this here stool

And magic they all poured into me

And gave me brains and speech

So years and years later

I'd see through students' minds.

You all sit there looking bored

But there's something you all must know.

This year will be a hard one

Decisions must be made.

One thing you must recall:

The time for love has come again

And only _that_ will save us all.

You little first years

And new students too,

Of me don't be afraid,

Come here

And place me on your head,

I'll look around your mind

And I will tell you,

Of the Houses four,

Where you ought to go.

..oo00oo..

"_Love?!_" said Talia raising an eyebrow and scrunching up her face in disgust. "You gotta be kidding me!"

She wasn't the only one to have noticed. Around the Great Hall, girls giggled and boys grumbled.

She looked to Wyatt for support to see him grinning, "I'm bloody surrounded!" she groaned dramatically.

..oo00oo..

"Applecore, Sarah," Professor McGonagall called.

A blonde little girl in pigtails walked apprehensively up to the hat.

And the sorting began!

Soon enough, it was Wyatt's turn. The blond sixth year walked apprehensively towards the frayed old hat. Feeling everyone's eyes on him, Wyatt hoped with all his might that he wouldn't trip. Sitting on the hat's stool he dared look up towards the Gryffindor table and his new friends. Ron was giving him a thumbs-up sign and Hermione, Harry and Ginny were grinning encouragingly at him. He moved to put the hat on his head.

"GRYFFINDOR!!!" called the hat before it even touched Wyatt's golden hair. Wyatt was surprised, but very happy. He put the hat back in its place and walked grinning to the wildly cheering Gryffindor table.

..oo00oo..

"My, my," said a gravely voice in Talia's head, "it's been centuries since we had royalty in this school, and now there's _two_ of you?"

Talia frowned.

"Yes, well, let's try and keep that between us, shall we? Neither I, nor Wyatt, want people to know," she said frostily.

The Hat paused for a while.

"I presume the headmaster at least knows?"

"Yes."

"Then, as you wish, my lady.

"Might I also just add what a fascinating pair you and your cousin make? I most certainly predict an interesting year ahead."

Talia nodded curtly. She hated the idea of anyone looking in her head, even if it was just a dirty old hat. She wanted to get this nasty experience over and done with as quickly as possible.

"Back to the business at hand then," the hat said with a sigh at Talia's rudeness. "I believe the answer's pretty much obvious here. You will do very well in SLY-"

"Don't even think about it!!!" interrupted Talia's soft, yet furious and strangely commanding voice.

..oo00oo..

The tone she had just used on the Hogwarts Sorting Hat was the same tone that she had used on her father's subjects in the Underworld when she was Princess of All Evil. It was the tone that demanded both respect and obedience and it had never failed her.

It was because of that icy tone that something happened at Hogwarts that day, that had never happened before.

The Sorting Hat was about to announce Talia's new House – even managed to get away with shouting the first syllable - before closing its mouth promptly. The Great Hall exploded with noise and everyone watched with even more avid interest the petite girl under the large floppy hat.

..oo00oo..

Draco smirked.

She would end up in Slytherin. There was no way someone like her would end up anywhere else! He couldn't _wait _to see Potter and the Weasel's face!

..oo00oo..

"I beg your pardon!" huffed the Hat seemingly offended.

"Don't you dare put me in that house!" hissed Talia.

"But...why not?"

"I don't belong in Slytherin," she said with conviction. "Not anymore."

If they ever found out about her half-blood status... She _would not_ suffer the same blood prejudice she once had! It was a decision she had come to during Harry's talk of Slytherin on the train.

But there was more to it than that.

She threw a surreptitious glance towards the Slytherin table and her eyes met the coolly amused, enquiring, steel grey eyes of Draco Malfoy. She felt a smile tug at the corners of her mouth but captured it before it broke through her defences. She turned away from the blond young man.

In all honesty, before her rather informative ride on the Hogwarts Express, Slytherin seemed as attractive a House as any – perhaps more so because she already knew Draco there – but things had changed dramatically in the past few hours. According to her new friends and, now that she thought about it, every book Talia had come across that summer, Slytherins were more liable to go to the Dark Side than any of the other houses. It didn't mean that they were all evil, but what it _did_ mean was, that, like her, Slytherins thrived in the shades of grey between the dark and the light. No wonder the Hat wanted to put her there! Talia set her jaw in determination. She'd already had her little stint being bad, and it was a place she was determined to never visit again. Being in Slytherin, with Draco Malfoy and others like him... A delicious shiver ran down her spine at the mere thought. She had no doubt she would do well in Slytherin. It was tempting. And that was the very problem. It was too tempting, she decided. In the age of dark wizards and Lord Voldemort, she could not afford to put herself through that temptation. It was too dangerous.

"But my dear child," the Hat sputtered, "you certainly have the qualities for it! Cunning, ambition... And you are the Source's daughter! Where else would I put you?"

"Anywhere else you like. Just _not_ in Slytherin," Talia said through gritted teeth.

Every cell of her body felt drawn to the table draped in green and silver. The delicious aroma of potential wickedness permeated the air around her, wafted to her sensitive nose, and made her pulse race. The more she tried to deny it the more it called to her. And that was _precisely_ why she couldn't go there. She _couldn't _get sorted into Slytherin. Being in the wizarding world at a time when evil thrived was going to be hard enough.

"I'm afraid not even you can affect my decision, Princess," the Hat said loftily and in a tone of it's own that in most other situations would have signified the end of all argument. "You belong in Slytherin, and in Slytherin you will go."

Talia was quiet for a while, but just as the hat was about to shout out Talia's new House, she spoke again.

"Do you know what my Wiccan powers are, Hat?" Talia asked in a sickeningly sweet voice. She gave the hat no time to answer. "I hear that hellfire is an _awfully_ painful way to go..."

The Hat gasped.

The sentence hang in the air between them, the threat unmistakeable.

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Oh, wouldn't I? Think about who you're talking to, Hat. I am Talia, Princess of all Evil. I used to be the Source's most prized assassin, you know... I killed for the first time when I was six years old. Do you honestly think that I'd stop at destroying a mere hat?"

Before hundreds of eyes, the Sorting Hat seemed to change colour. It visibly _paled_.

Talia smiled evilly and let her final sentence drop and linger.

"And then where would the school be, without anyone to sort the new students into houses...?"

The Hat's voice was shaky when it finally answered.

"Where would you like to be sorted, my lady?"

..oo00oo..

"What the hell's taking that long?" asked Ron.

Everyone else was thinking the exact same thing, which is probably why Hermione didn't reprimand him for his swearing.

"Is she actually _arguing_ with the Hat?" asked Hermione in disbelief.

"I could've sworn that the Hat nearly shouted 'Slytherin' a minute ago," added Ginny.

"I'm glad someone else heard it," continued Harry, "I was beginning to think I'd imagined it."

"Has the Hat ever changed its mind about anyone half-way through the Sorting, Hermione?" asked Ron.

Hermione swallowed nervously before admitting, "If it has, it's not in _Hogwarts a History_, Ron."

..oo00oo..

"You're clever enough for Ravenclaw... And... loyal enough for Hufflepuff...?!" the Hat's gravely voice wondered.

"You seem surprised."

"You are half-demon, child. Demons aren't known for their loyalty."

Talia scowled.

"I'm also half-Charmed. And the Charmed Ones are well known for their loyalty to both each other, and the greater good."

"You are correct of course. Well, the choice is simple then. Are you _sure_ you don't want to go to Slytherin?"

"Quite sure."

"Alright then. You'll just have to go to GRYFFINDOR!"

..oo00oo..

Talia practically skipped off the stool and down the corridor to the Gryffindor table with an enormous grin plastered on her face and amidst loud, albeit confused, applause. She studiously avoided looking towards the Slytherin table and sat between Hermione and Harry.

..oo00oo..

If Draco was anyone else but a Malfoy, trained from birth not to betray his emotions, he would have gasped in shock. As it was, he merely scowled. Talia in _Gryffindor_?

Ha!

She was as Gryffindor as he was!

"Draco..." whined Pansy.

"Get lost Parkinson," he growled so lowly and menacingly, that the girl not only, uncharacteristically, left him alone, but actually shuffled slightly away from him.

..oo00oo..

Draco Malfoy was not the only one to take Talia's sorting badly. At the professors' table Snape scowled. This was all wrong! He had been pretty sure to begin with that Wyatt would end up in Gryffindor, but the girl clearly belonged in Slytherin, not with those damn Gryffindors!

He sneered at the smugness on Minerva McGonagall's face.

It was pretty clear that the Hat had wanted to sort her in Slytherin... so what happened?

Severus smirked. Leave it to Talia to argue with the Sorting Hat _and _get her way at the end! How very... Slytherin... of her!

Severus just wished he knew why she did it.

..oo00oo..

"Talia?" asked Ron between bites.

"Hmm?"

"Just what were you and the Sorting Hat talking about for so long?"

The question had been on everyone's mind, but only Ron would be tactless enough to voice it. What went on between the Sorting Hat and each student, stayed between the Hat and the student in question.

"Ron!" admonished Hermione.

But Talia didn't mind and answered Ron's question honestly.

"The Hat wanted to put me in Slytherin." She frowned. "It was quite stubborn about it, too! It took a lot of convincing on my part to make it see the... error of its ways."

"You argued with the Sorting Hat?"

Ginny seemed be clearly seeing the funny side of this, but Wyatt frowned, glaring down the table at his cousin. There was something fishy about the way her eyes sparkled when she answered that question.

"Tal... what kind of _convincing_ did it take, for the Sorting Hat to change its mind?" he growled.

Talia looked at her cousin with large, innocent eyes. They might've worked, if he didn't know her so well.

"You know me! I can talk my way out of anything," she said airily, depositing a piece of chicken in her mouth with perfect table manners.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny, simply stared from one cousin to the other. They were pretty sure something was going on here, that they were completely missing out on, but they had no idea what that was. Wyatt looked angry for some reason. He glared at an innocently smiling Talia.

"Talia," he growled once again, "when you say _talking,_ you wouldn't by chance mean _threatening_, would you?

Talia looked sheepish.

"Talia! You know you're not supposed to do that!" the younger boy said exasperatedly, throwing his knife and fork with a clatter on his plate.

"You _threatened_ the _Sorting Hat_?!" Ron exclaimed, looking at Talia admiringly.

Hermione did a perfect impersonation of a fish, openly gaping at the audacity of the girl. She herself would never even dream of threatening the Sorting Hat!

"Wyatt, you heard what Harry said on the train. There hasn't been a single evil witch or wizard that hasn't been in Slytherin, and I'm _not_ evil." Her eyes bore in his, begging for his understanding, "I don't belong there. And besides, is it that bad to want to be with you and the rest of my friends?"

Wyatt's eyes softened at his cousin's pleading tone.

Harry saw an opportunity to ease the tension he did not understand, that had descended on the table.

"Pass the mash potatoes, would you Wyatt?" he said, cleverly diffusing the situation.


	17. Settling In

**A/N: **I'm sooo sorry for the delay in updates...! I literally beg your forgiveness on bended knee! If you could only see me now, pathetically kneeling on my bedroom carpet... Forgive me?

I actually had this chapter ready for a while now (really! Ask **Nightcrawler** if you don't believe me!), but between finishing last minute uni assignments – oops! Pretend I didn't just say that – and flying back home for the holidays, I kinda lost track of time and forgot to actually upload the chapter! This isn't an excuse, I promise! In all honesty, it's too stupid to be an excuse, and completely the sort of thing I'm infamous for.

_Ernie: We. All. Know. How. Stupid. You. Can. Be. Cinammon. Let's. Get. On. With. The. Show._

Right you are Ernie! ::hangs head in shame::

_Ernie: Thanks. Go. To. **Mcgirl.**_

Thanks for the kind words. Enjoy the rest of the story!

_Ernie: **CharmingStar.**_

Is that a new name I spy, Alex? I like it! And your vote of confidence means a lot, thank you.

_Ernie: **Winter. Blaze.**_

You're absolutely right, darling! Snape and Draco aren't very happy about Talia's sorting, but they don't really have a choice, they _have _to accept it!

My decision to put Wyatt in Gryffindor, never wavered, but my decision to put Talia in Gryffindor too, did not come lightly. I was very, _very_ tempted to put her in Slytherin and use Wyatt as her only contact to Harry and the gang. But I felt that the gang's prejudice - Ron's prejudice in particular – against Slytherins, couldn't be ignored. Not knowing Talia from before (the train doesn't count), I just can't see them become all chummy with Slytherin! And they _have_ to be relatively close for what's to follow. I even briefly thought of putting Talia in Ravenclaw, in a, neither-here-nor-there gesture, that would allow her contact with all sides. But that would mean introducing a whole lot of new characters, and I was too lazy to do that! In the end, I decided that her relationships with Snape and Draco had already been established enough, to survive – albeit with difficulty – her sorting into Gryffindor.

_Ernie: The. Lovely. **Anna.**_

My, my what nice compliments! Yes, as you can see, they do start classes in this, though you don't see them during lesson times. This isn't a very exciting chapter, but I thought it was rather fun! It serves to set the relationships between the characters. They're still children after all!

_Ernie: **Triquetraperson.**_

I'm glad you liked that part! Her argument with the sorting hat was my favourite part of that chapter too! And yes, you're absolutely right, that is exactly like her!

_Ernie: **Svata2004.**_

The "right" houses, huh? I'm glad you think so. I was rather nervous about unveiling the houses. I thought people might be upset I've placed Talia in Gryffindor, when she so obviously belongs in Slytherin.

_Ernie: The. Incredibly. Insightful. **Nexos23.**_

Incredibly insightful is putting it mildly, Ernie! You've hit the nail on the head, my friend! If any original character ever belonged in Slytherin, it's Talia, but I badly needed her to be close to the Golden Trio for the rest of the story. I didn't think there was a way of them ever letting her in if she was a Slytherin, so I found myself wondering how I'd ever make it seem credible that she ends up in Gryffindor! I picked the most cunning, Slytherin, self-serving, way I could think of, and made the whole exchange as amusing as possible to slip it past you, and make it seem natural that she end up where she did. But you're way too smart for me and worked it out anyway. Yes, the argument with the Sorting Hat was nothing but a plot devise to make Talia's sorting sound credible. I'm glad you think it worked!

_Ernie: **Asian. Orchid.**_

You've used one of my favourite quotes! "Where there's a will, there's a way," indeed! "Carpe diem" is another good one. Talia is familiar with both of these. In fact, you could say that she lives by them. Good ol' Hogwarts has no idea what's in store for it!

_Ernie: The. Brilliant. **Ori.**_

If you insist on calling me a fanfic goddess, then I'll have to insist on calling you... the review goddess! I'm glad you enjoyed the previous chapter! This one may not be as interesting, but it should present a brief chance of getting to know the characters before... the rest of the story happens.

Balancing Talia _is_ really hard. We just have to remember that's easily tempted by the darkness, and not just occasionally, but _all the time_! She's also stubborn and pig-headed, and she's decided to be "good". She can be frivolous and flippant, but those she does care about, her family, most notably her father and Wyatt, she cares for deeply and passionately. There's also a grace and elegance about her, that I can only envy. Walking "the constant tightrope that destiny has assigned her" is a very good description, well done. "Danger attracts danger"? Ha! Funny you should say that...

_Ernie: **Songwithoutwordz.**_

Feel free to say that you like this story as many times as you want, lol! You might have to wait a little for Draco's reaction (i.e. it's not in this chapter, I'm afraid), but I'm pretty sure at this point, that he's got a few things to say on the subject!

_Ernie: **Charmedsisters.**_

What good is being half-Charmed, and Princess of the Underworld, if you can't use your many and powerful skills in getting what you want...? ::sigh:: I wish I was a little more like Talia...

_Ernie: **Charmed148.**_

No worries! I'm glad you like the story!

_Ernie: And. Thank. You. For remembering. Me. In. Your. Review._

And finally...

_Ernie: The. Incredible. **Mixer.**_

Oh my! Such kind words! Keep it up and I won't know what to do with all these compliments!

But don't let that stop you...

Thank you. I work hard for my character development and, at the risk of sounding arrogant, I'm rather pleased with it! Goodness knows, I spend way too much time on it!

I really am very fond of Talia when she goes all Princess-of-the-Underworld on us. Almost as much as when she goes all kicking-ass on us! I'm rather happy to report that there's a rather large amount of both to come!

Ernie's growing up rather nicely, isn't he? I think I make a rather good laptop parent. I give him frequent virus checks and I even had my brother run a defragging on him yesterday!

..oo00oo..

Err... I tend to get carried away in my author's notes, don't I? Oh well, you could have skipped over all that rubbish...

One last thank you, before I let you get on with the chapter. Thank you **Nighcrawler**! You really are the best beta a girl could ask for!

..oo00oo..

**Chapter 17: Settling in**

Life at Hogwarts had begun without a hitch.

Wyatt and Talia found to their pleasure that their summer lessons had paid off and they were more or less at the same level as their fellow classmates in wizarding education. If anything, they found their lessons slightly boring. You see, even though they were constantly being taught new things, the learning pace was much slower than what they had gotten used to throughout the summer. But the magic world was still relatively new to them and there was much to learn about it and to keep them amused. They enjoyed the company of their new friends most of all.

..oo00oo..

"Lunch!" announced Ron happily before opening the doors to the Great Hall. He said it as if he hadn't eaten for days.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Is he always like this?" Talia asked, grinning.

"Pretty much," said Harry.

"Always," Hermione corrected. "There're three things that Ron loves more than anything in this world," the curly-haired witch said. "Food, quidditch and..."

She looked at Harry.

"Food!" they said together, before bursting into laughter.

The exchange betrayed fond familiarity and made Talia smile. It seemed to be an old, running joke between the three of them.

"Hey!" shouted Ron in mock indignation, "I care about other things too, you know!"

But his friends just laughed at him as they made their way to the Gryffindor table.

"I'll have you know Talia," he said to her, ignoring Harry and Hermione, "that I'm a deep and cultured person, once you get to know me."

Hermione hastily hid a smile. Harry didn't bother, he snorted openly.

"Thanks for your support, mate," Ron said sarcastically, pretending to be upset, before stuffing a chicken leg in his mouth.

Talia laughed at his reaction.

"Don't be such a baby, Ron!" she said, ruffling his hair playfully.

Ron put up a face that looked both betrayed and gob-smacked. It was an admirable feat, considering his mouth was still full of chicken.

"'ice fwends you are!" he said to Harry and Hermione, trying to pout with his mouth full. He glared at them, but everyone could tell he wasn't serious, "you turn," he said, spraying the table with chicken ("Ron!" Hermione screeched), "evewybody againsht me! She's only known me faw a few days and she thinksh I'm a prat alweady."

Harry put his hands up in mock-surrender; Hermione grimaced in disgust at Ron's atrocious table manners, while Talia laughed at the redhead's attempts to speak around the food in his mouth.

"Ginny, Wyatt! Over here!" waved Hermione to their friends, when she saw them from across the room.

Ginny and Wyatt walked up to them and took their seats around the table.

"Guess what guys!" Ginny said excitedly, "you know how we were wondering who this year's DADA teacher is and why he wasn't at the welcoming feast...?" She didn't wait for an answer. "It's Professor Lupin!" she announced triumphantly.

"Really?" asked Harry, looking up interestedly.

"That's fantastic!" agreed Hermione enthousiastically.

"Yeah! Turns out, that Dumbledore had so many complains about the other DADA teachers he's had in the past few years, that he _had_ to bring Professor Lupin back... by popular demand!

"'at's gonderful!" agreed Ron.

Ginny nodded eagerly. "Isn't it?"

"Who's Professor Lupin?" asked Talia.

"The new DADA teacher," answered Wyatt.

Talia rolled her eyes at him.

"I guessed that much Wyatt."

Realising his mistake, Wyatt grinned wryly and tried to make up for it.

"We've just had him in class and he seems pretty good, Tal."

"Professor Lupin's the best DADA teacher we've ever had!" Hermione tried to explain. "He was here four years ago, in our third year."

"Well, if he was so good, why didn't he stay?" asked Talia.

"Yeah, I meant to ask about that," added Wyatt.

The two cousins looked at their friends expectedly, but they seemed unwilling to answer their question. It was Harry who finally answered.

"Professor Lupin's a werewolf," he said quietly. "When people found out, some parents complained and threatened to take their children out of school."

"That's why he wasn't at the welcoming feast. Because it was the day after the full moon," explained Ginny.

Talia looked at Wyatt and he simply shrugged and spoke for both of them.

"People will always be afraid of what's different," the younger boy said with wisdom beyond his years. "It's in their nature. Personally, after the stories I've heard about the previous DADA teachers in this school, I'm rather glad we'll have someone that's actually good at it this year."

Talia nodded in agreement and she was glad to see the others relax.

"Professor Lupin was a friend of my parents," admitted Harry, "and the rest of us consider him our friend, too."

"We knew a werewolf once," Talia said, referring to one of their adventures of a few months ago. "Remember, Wyatt?"

"Yeah. I felt sorry for him. I doubt it's very pleasant being a werewolf."

"It looked kinda painful to me," agreed Talia.

"Professor Lupin always seems tired," added Ron, this time remembering to swallow before speaking.

"And he's prematurely grey," added Ginny.

"But I'm really glad he's back," said Harry firmly, putting an end to the discussion.

"Hey Harry, can you pass the potatoes please?" asked Dean, oblivious to their previous conversation.

Harry passed the potatoes to Talia who passed them on to Dean.

"So how are you guys finding Hogwarts?" Dean asked her, taking the platter of potatoes from her.

"So far, so good!" Talia answered cheerfully.

"Good!" said Seamus on Dean's other side, taking the potatoes to serve himself, "the more pretty girls in Gryffindor, the better!"

He winked at her and Talia flashed him a blinding smile in return.

"Flirting again Finnegan?" Harry teased, having followed their conversation.

Parvati, across from Seamus, snorted.

"Seamus, you couldn't flirt if your life depended on it!"

"Hey!" he protested, "that's not what you said last year, when we were _dating_!"

Parvati put her nose up in the air.

"Even _I_ make mistakes, Seamus!" she teased haughtily.

Seamus looked hurt.

"Never mind Seamus," Talia consoled, "_I_ happen to think that your Irish accent is _very_ sexy!"

Ginny, sitting a few seats down, chocked on her food at Seamus' expression.

"There!" he said, grinning triumphantly, pointing at Talia, "a girl with taste!"

"I happen to think that your Irish accent is very sexy, Seamus..." Dean parroted next to him in a high, squeaky voice, batting his eyes at his Irish friend.

Seamus shuffled cautiously away from his friend.

"Err... I know I'm irresistible and all, and I hate to break it to you mate, but I don't bend that way."

Lavender and Parvati across from them, giggled at Dean's thunderstruck expression.

"Oi!" complained Ron between bites, "I have to share a room with that prat! Don't put ideas in my head!"

Neville's eyes widened. He had watched the conversation around him quietly so far.

"What's wrong, big brother?" asked Ginny, getting into the spirit of things, sparing a mischievous glance at Talia, "afraid that your virtue might be in danger from Dean over here?"

Ron looked at Neville and they both blanched at Ginny's insinuation. Hermione laughed outright at Ron's and Neville's nauseated expressions.

"Hey! I'll have you know that I'm as straight as they come!" protested Dean.

Talia took pity on him.

"You look cute when you're embarrassed, did you know that?" she said leaning on his arm, batting her own long eyelashes at him.

He couldn't help but smile back at her.

"She on the other hand," commented Lavender, pointing at Talia, "has got the flirting part down to a 'T'!"

Talia performed a half-bow as best as she could, considering she was sitting down.

"You don't know the half of it!" mumbled Wyatt.

The rest turned to look at him questioningly.

"Well, how am I supposed to play the overprotective cousin, when I can't even keep up with who she's dating every week?!" he said exasperatedly.

"Hey!" protested Talia.

"It's hard, mate, isn't it?" said Ron, placing an arm around Wyatt's shoulders in sympathy and looking pointedly at Ginny. "They don't make it easy on us," he sighed tiredly.

Ginny scowled and flicked a pea from her plate to her brother's across the table, with deadly accuracy. Talia, slightly more direct - and more violent - leaned across the table and smacked both Ron and Wyatt on the back of the head.

..oo00oo..

Over at the Slytherin table, Draco Malfoy, surrounded by his cronies, couldn't help but notice the Gryffindor table explode with laughter around the girl that he just couldn't get out of his head.

"Do you want some potatoes, Draco?" Pansy simpered next to him, hanging on his arm as if for dear life.

Draco didn't deign to give her a verbal answer, simply flicking his hand in a dismissive gesture that said it all. Perhaps he hoped that Pansy would finally take the hint and leave him alone, but the irritating girl simply put the potatoes down and daintily placed food in her own mouth while staring dreamily up at him. She never even let go of his arm.

Draco wrapped an elegant hand around his goblet and brought it to his lips, never once straying from watching the laughing Gryffindors across the room.

..oo00oo..

"Oh no! Not another one!" said Ron dramatically the moment he walked into the Gryffindor common room.

Harry and Hermione, who were following their friend, turned to see what had caused Ron's exclamation, only to see a girl comfortably curled up on a crimson armchair with a big book. Harry sniggered looking back at Hermione.

"There's nothing wrong with someone wanting to read, Ron! You would do well to read yourself once in a while." she complained.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..."

"Need I remind you that this is our N.E.W.T. year?"

Harry's attention wandered back to the girl on the armchair. He was tired after a long day of lessons and his Legilimency lessons with Snape. The last thing he wanted to do was listen to Ron and Hermione bickering – again!

He moved over to stand right above the girl in the armchair, trying to look in over her shoulder. She still didn't seem to notice his presence. Harry smiled, Talia and Wyatt had become part of the group so quickly, that it still astounded him! They weren't quite as good friends to him as Ron, Hermione, and even Ginny, were - of course - but they had become good friends nonetheless. It was good to see someone so far removed from all the bad things that were currently going on around him in the wizarding world. The two cousins were simple students enjoying their way through a magical education, he thought. The way he might have been, if things were different. He didn't begrudge them their ignorance of the ongoing war.

Harry looked down at the open pages of the book. He blinked and looked again. He rubbed his eyes and looked a third time, but it seemed to make no difference. The page was covered in lots of tiny little characters that Harry did not recognise. He frowned. If they were runes they weren't any he was familiar with...

"Talia...?" he said.

It didn't seem to have any effect on the girl who was so utterly absorbed in what she was reading, that she seemed to be lost in a world all of her own. He resisted the urge to snort. It was such a typically Hermione-thing to do!

"Talia?" he tried again, only louder.

"TALIA!"

He got through to her this time.

"Hello Harry," she smiled up at him, completely unperturbed, "I'm sorry, were you saying something?"

"I was wondering what you were reading," he admitted. "It doesn't look like homework."

"It's not." She looked back down at the book on her lap. "Ever heard of Homer's _Odyssey_?"

"Who?"

"Homer," said Hermione from behind him. Ron and her had given up on their bickering and were now happy to join the conversation. "He was reputedly the greatest bard of all time."

Talia nodded, her eyes glittering in the firelight. Hermione elaborated to Talia's pleasure.

"He lived thousands of years ago in ancient Greece. He was blind, but his talent for storytelling made him famous. His most popular works are called _The Iliad_ and _Odyssey_. They're still read today and considered to be two of the greatest classics of all time."

"Is that one of those two?" asked Ron, observing suspiciously the enormous tome.

"This is the _Odyssey_. The _Iliad_ is, in a way, its prequel. The _Iliad_ talks about the Trojan War." Talia's voice softened as it took on the tone of storytelling. "It tells the story of how the Greeks set out from home to fight a bloody war against Troy, a far away kingdom. The war lasted for ten whole years. This book here, the _Odyssey,_ follows one of these Greeks', journey home after the war. This man, Odysseus, King of Ithaca, angered the ancient gods, and in retaliation, they put many obstacles on his way to his homeland. It took him twenty years from the end of the war to get back to his wife and son."

"Wow! Thirty years! That's a long time to be away from home..."

Talia nodded at Ron smiling softly.

"May I?" asked Hermione reaching out for Talia's book. "I've read the abbreviated version of the story before, but never the whole thing."

Ron and Harry gaped at their best friend. Did Hermione just confess to reading the _abbreviated_ version of a book?

Unthinkingly Talia passed the book to her. Harry watched Hermione to see what she would make of the funny writings on the pages.

"Err...Talia, this isn't in English, is it?"

Talia seemed startled.

"Ah yes, of course not. Sorry Hermione, I forgot. It's in ancient Greek actually. I'm pretty fluent in the language, I didn't even realise."

"You speak ancient Greek?" asked Ron, obviously surprised. His mouth hang startlingly open.

"I speak _modern_ Greek," Talia corrected. "When one speaks modern Greek, ancient Greek's relatively easy. My father used to take me on holiday to Greece every summer when I was little. That's were I learnt it. Both the modern and the ancient versions of the language."

That wasn't true. Not really. She had learnt modern Greek at Pontikonissi, but it was her father's lessons in the deepest recesses of the Underworld that had taught her ancient Greek. Ancient Greek, a language wildly different than its modern counterpart, was a language as useful as Latin for many of the dark incantations. Draco would have known that, Talia involuntarily thought, then stubbornly chased that thought away from her mind.

The trio seemed to accept her explanation easily enough though, and Talia had to resist the urge to grin smugly at this display of her lying skills.

"Hey, Ron!"

They all turned towards the source of that call to see a blond boy sitting next to Ginny Weasley. They seemed to have been playing Wizard's chess, but it was obvious from the board and her expression, that Ginny had lost spectacularly.

"I've been told you're the Gryffindor chess champion," challenged Wyatt, "Care for a game?"

Ron grinned at this.

"Ah, fresh blood!" he said blissfully, rubbing his hands together. "Get ready to lose my young friend," he said rolling his sleeves up.

Harry left with him, but Hermione stayed behind with Talia talking about books.

Ron was delighted to find Wyatt a more worthy adversary than Harry in chess. Not good enough to beat him at it, of course, but definitely able to give him more of a challenge. It wasn't long before the rest of the seventh year Gryffindors surrounded them. It was a Friday night, and there wasn't much else to do. Besides, the common room was warm and cosy, and company was good.

"So what do you think of Hogwarts, Wyatt?" asked Ron.

"It's great!" enthused the other boy with a grin. "I never thought I'd get to attend a magic school and there are so many things to get used to, I'm still reeling!"

Harry chuckled.

"I know what you mean, mate. I was the same when I first came here."

"What do you like best about it, Wyatt?" asked Ginny kindly.

"I know I'm going to sound like such a geek, but I just can't get around all the subjects we're studying."

"Geek?" asked Lavender, not familiar with the American term and, being a pureblood, severely lacking in television-provided education.

"A geek, a nerd, a school-obsessed, homework-junkie who lacks any semblance of a normal life outside the classroom," said Talia in an 'innocent' attempt to help.

"Thanks Tal," said Wyatt sarcastically while Ginny giggled next to him, "but I think they got it at 'nerd'."

"You know me," Talia answered cheerfully, "just trying to help!"

Ron frowned.

"What's so fascinating about the school subjects?"

"Yeah, you're scaring us mate," said Seamus and shuddered.

"Well, you all know that Talia and I attended a muggle school before, right? The only magic training we've ever had was from our parents and aunts. In school we studied things like maths, geography, chemistry, biology... I still can't believe I'm doing charms and potions in school!"

The pure-blooded witches and wizards looked confused, but those who had some sort of experience with muggle education, mainly the muggleborns and half-bloods, knew exactly what Wyatt was talking about. Harry and Hermione shared a look over Ron and Ginny's confused heads.

"Maths?" repeated Ron.

"Chemistry?" enquired Ginny.

"What's biology?" asked Neville interestedly, joining the conversation.

"Subjects in muggle schools are very different than here, for obvious reasons. I know what you mean Wyatt. I've been here for seven years and I'm still having trouble believing it," said Hermione grinning.

"What's your favourite subject, Wyatt?" Harry asked.

"Care of Magical Creatures with Hagrid," he answered without a moment's hesitation.

Harry grinned.

"Hagrid's great, isn't he? Lupin's pretty good too!"

Ron and Ginny nodded vigorously.

"Professor Trelawny was great!" said Parvati dreamily and Lavander nodded to show she agreed. The professor had returned after Umbridge's departure but now only taught students of OWL level and below.

"And Professor Firenze's great too, of course," Lavender supplied just as dreamily and both she and Parvati giggled. The centaur had remained at Hogwarts teaching only N.E.W.T. level divination.

Hermione snorted and the two girls glared at her. Hermione's opinion of Divination in general, and of Professor Trelawny in particular, was well known.

"Professor Sprout's my favourite," contributed Neville shyly. "Herbology's my best subject."

"Flitwick's ok, I guess," Seamus said.

"Morgan," said Dean emphatically.

"Muggle studies?" Harry asked him.

Dean nodded.

"But...you're muggleborn," protested Seamus.

Dean grinned.

"That's why I'm so good at muggle studies!"

Ginny laughed. She and Dean might no longer be going out, but they had remained good friends.

"Hagrid and Professor Lupin are wonderful of course," said Hermione agreeing with her closest friends, "but my favourite teacher's Professor McGonagall."

Ron snorted and it was loud enough for everyone to hear.

Harry took one look at Hermione's reddening face and decided to disrupt their bickering before it even started.

"Who's your favourite Professor, Talia?"

Talia raised her eyes from the book she was reading. She had seemed more interested in her book than their discussion, towards the end, but that didn't mean that she hadn't been paying attention.

"Professor Snape," she answered without the slightest hesitation and without looking up from her book.

The Gryffindors simply stared. And it was the shocked silence that finally made her look up.

"What?" He's not _that _bad!"

But her friends continued to stare. Some of them, Ron in particular, actually blinked in disbelief at her pronouncement.

"I happen to like Potions very much and I'm good at it," Talia attempted to explain. "Snape knows what he's talking about and I always find his lessons interesting."

Silence followed this comment too.

"... _Snape?!_" asked Ron finally in obvious shocked disbelief.

Talia shrugged before going back to her reading.

"She's an odd bird, that one," Ron whispered to his friends.


	18. The Gathering Storm

**A/N: **Merry Christmas everyone!

Isn't this the absolute _best_ time of the year? I happen to be one of those really annoying people who start singing Christmas carols at the beginning of November, send Christmas cards by the 15th, decorate every nook and cranny by the 1st of December, and spend the rest of the year, just waiting for Christmas to happen! I spent all last Sunday making Christmas biscuits and chocolates with my mum and I loved every second of it! Hope everyone enjoys the season as much as I do...!

_Ernie: As. Much. As. **We**. Do._

Yes, Ernie, I haven't forgotten about you! You know, if you've been a good boy this year, Santa might just bring you a new mouse pad for Christmas...

_Ernie: Really?_

Absolutely! Have you been a good little laptop this year?

_Ernie: The. Best_.

Hmm. Okay, then. You've got nothing to worry about.

_Ernie: Can. We. Thank. Our. Reviewers. Now? _

Go right ahead Ernie!

_Ernie: Thank. You. _**_Bob-the-bear_******

Give us a 'B', give us an 'O', give us another 'B'... What does that spell...? **Bob-the-bear**!!!

You _are_ the official Talia cheerleader of course... I can try but emulate! You and your pom-poms are just the kind of encouragement I need to write another chapter! Don't worry about not reviewing for a while. I know you have a life out there somewhere... and I know how the pesky thing can get in the way! 0)

_Ernie: _**_songwithoutwordz_**

I'm glad you liked it! I have a feeling you'll like this one even more...

_Ernie: _**_Nexos23_**

I kinda liked that part too! Thank you. I'll keep up my end (writing) if you keep up your end (reviewing)...?

_Ernie: **Anna**_

Ah... My 200th reviewer!

_Ernie: **Our**. 200th. Reviewer._

Yes, of course Ernie. What was I thinking? ::grumble, grumble::

I have a thing, for sexy accents. French is way, way overused, I'm afraid, but give me a Scot or Irish and... yum! I had this Scottish Professor this term, and I couldn't concentrate on the lectures, for fawning over his Scottish accent! He wasn't even that cute! Kinda nerdy looking really... But he _was_ young, which is more than I can say for most of my professors!

Thanks for being such a great reviewer, **Anna**! I'd like to dedicate this chapter to you for being the big 2-0-0. Merry Christmas!

_Ernie: _**_Reigning. Devil_******

Excellent name! I'm glad you liked it, darling! Are you going to keep reading?

_Ernie: And. **lexa.**_

I'm sorry you feel that way. I do try to update every week actually, and my track record isn't really that bad...! I'm a student, with a very busy life and I'm rather proud of my more-or-less consistent updating. Every chapter is somewhere between 2000 and 4000 words which I happen to think is quite big. Have you ever written a 2000 word essay? The length of chapters admittedly varies, because I cut them off where I think it's appropriate and not because I've reached the nth word. You'll be glad to know that this one is longer than most.

On a nicer note, I'm glad you liked the story enough to care! And as for your questions... I'm going to try to answer them as well as I can. When it comes to Lucius' presence in the story... well, I'd like to think that he's slippery enough to talk/lie/bribe/blackmail his way out of Azkaban. What good is a silver tongue, a deep pocket, and a lack of conscience if one doesn't use them? And of course he'd go to Hogwarts! If anyone is arrogant enough to do it, it's him! As for Dumbledore not telling Wyatt and Talia the real reason they're there... are you kidding?! This is the man who didn't tell Harry about the Prophesy for five whole years! Keep reading, and please, don't be afraid to ask more questions. They keep me on my toes!

_Ernie: Thanks. _**_Devlin. Rose_******

Thank you for your lovely words. This is a longer chapter, probably the longest to date, and I have a feeling you'll like it even more than the last one!

_Ernie: _**_charmedsisters_******

Is this soon enough?

_Ernie: _**_Frisbee400_**

Ooh... I have an English teacher following this story... Glad to know you don't want to crucify me for any atrocious spelling and grammar mistakes I might have made! I shared your lovely review with **Nightcrawler**, my beta, and he was as touched as I was! I'm glad I made you giggle, and as for Wyatt being a push over... I kinda have to admit that I've only ever watched a few episodes of season 6 and none of season 7, so I wouldn't know. I need to catch up on my episode guides! I don't think of him as a push over, but he does have a weak spot for Talia, as she does for him!

_Ernie: _**_mcgirl_**

Soon enough, darling? Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

_Ernie: **Ori**_

The AU fic of them growing up together, would be cool, wouldn't it? Is that an offer to write one? I'm afraid I don't have the time, but I would support any and all attempts to write one, wholeheartedly! I have no idea how my paper went. I still haven't gotten it back, but it was exhausting to write! It was one horrible assignment after another, I'm afraid. A 23-page stats essay, followed by a seven page Organisational Behaviour essay, followed by another horrendous 4000 word stats essay. And that's on top of normal homework! On a more pleasant subject, I think you're going to absolutely love this chapter! Consider it a Christmas gift! Best wishes!

_Ernie: _**_svata2004_**

Here it is! And there's more where this came from...

_Ernie: Thank. You. _**_triquetraperson_**

You gotta love Snape! Oh the snarkiness, the sneakiness, the sarcasm...!!!

_Ernie: **frances**_

I did too! I'll let you in on a little secret. I'm of Greek origin, and if you've ever watched "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" you'll know that we're all very proud of our heritage. I don't think there's a Greek out there who hasn't read at least a part of the Iliad and/or the Odyssey.

_Ernie: **Metallika**_

I'm glad you liked it this much! Enjoy this new chapter and Merry Christmas!

_Ernie: **winter blaze**_

Typically Ron that line, wasn't it? And you are 100 right. He, and the rest of them, have no idea of what they're getting into...

_Ernie: _**_CharmingStar_**

Love my story beyond belief? Wow! Thanks a lot, darling! That's very flattering! I hope I don't let you down...

_Ernie: And. Last. But. Not. Least. _**_Asian Orchid_**

Of course Talia and Wyatt continue their early morning practice sessions! It's deeply ingrained in them by now. But they are extremely early risers. None of the others have noticed. Yet. There's the occasional sparing with Snape for Talia, but... More to come on this subject later. Probably next chapter. Watch this space.

..oo00oo..

Thank you **Nightcrawler **once again! Merry Christmas Everyone!

..oo00oo..

**Chapter 18: The gathering storm**

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny had high hopes for an almost-normal year.

It was true that the wizarding world was in the middle of perhaps the worst war it had ever seen, that they themselves had joined the Order during the summer, and that Voldemort was believed to be rallying his forces to him, but none of them had seen any evidence of enemy activity after the attack at Hogwarts at the end of the last school year. The impending all-out war seemed too far away for them to think about _all the time_. And they found that it was easier not to. That didn't mean however that they didn't prepare for the war they knew would be upon them soon enough.

Harry still practised his Occlumency and Legilimency that Snape had reluctantly taught him, and he was even secretly teaching Hermione, Ron and Ginny to varying degrees of success. His defence training under Lupin was going great as was his auror skills training with Tonks and Kingsley Shacklebolt, when they could make it. None of the other students planning to apply for the auror program was receiving any of these extra lessons, but Dumbledore had applied for, and received, special permission for Harry to do so while he was still in school, due to "extenuating circumstances". Being _the _Harry Potter was usually more trouble than it was worth, but occasionally, Harry decided grudgingly, it had its uses. Especially now that Fudge was out of power at the Ministry and the wizarding world believed his story of Voldemort coming back.

And as for the Prophesy... Harry tried not to think about that either. He'd told Hermione, Ron and Ginny about it last year, but, to Hermione's dismay, avoided discussing it after that. Taking Dumbledore's advice, he used his Occlumency techniques to meditate for a certain amount of time every day. It helped.

_All _the lessons helped. Having something to do...it made things easier somehow. The feeling of helplessness wasn't quite as acute as it was before. When Voldemort attacked again, Harry would be ready. That had been quite obvious to anyone who had seen him fight last year, and it was obvious to him too. He found a morbid confidence in himself that made him a more formidable opponent than he had ever been, and, he liked it! He had his friends by his side, and they were determined to win at any cost! It was this ruthless devotion that had made the adults see all of them as active combatants in this war, despite their young age.

Harry worried over his friends of course, but last year, they had told him in no uncertain terms that they refused to leave him and that was that! The least he could do was make sure that they could defend themselves. And so, he still taught the DA, and taught his nearest and dearest even more: Occlumency, magical defence, whatever it took to keep them alive! It made for a very busy life. He had no idea how he would've managed to get through sixth year, or _this_ year in fact, without the time turner Dumbledore had given him.

The changes in him were obvious to all. Gone was the moodiness that had been so characteristic of him during his fifth year. There was the odd exception of course, but he usually made an effort not to take things out on his friends. After Sirius' death two years ago – yet another thing he dealt with by not thinking about it – he knew for a fact that life was way too short for things like that.

..oo00oo..

But despite all the extra things he had to worry about, Harry was determined to have as normal a final year as possible. There were plenty of things to think about without Voldemort, what with mounting school work and, in Hermione's case, constant preparation for N.E.W.Ts. But Harry's favourite distraction was of course, quidditch.

Harry was seeker and captain of the Gryffindor quidditch team. His ban from playing quidditch had been lifted with Umbridge's departure. Ginny was a chaser and Ron was the Gryffindor keeper. Within the first two weeks of school Harry had called quidditch tryouts, badly needing a new chaser and beater. With three members of the group in the Quidditch team, Quidditch had been the topic of conversation for days, to Talia's and Hermione's dismay. It wasn't that Talia didn't find quidditch interesting...like Hermione, she thought it was rather exciting to watch, but hours of strategies and techniques, never mind the differences between models of broomsticks, bored the two of them to tears. Their shared love of reading had kept them busy, while the others talked about their own favourite topic.

Ron had tried to get Talia to sign up for the try outs, after seeing her practicing with her broom, but she had flat out refused. It wasn't that she was terrible with a broom – in fact, she wasn't half bad if you asked her – but Talia always felt uncomfortable flying with a broomstick. It was a completely different sensation to when she transformed into a Phoenix and flew on nothing but her own gold-edged wings.

Wyatt, on the other hand, had been very enthusiastic about joining the team, to Harry's, Ron's and Ginny's pleasure. He was an even better flier with a broom than Talia, and his ball handling skills were much better than hers. Wyatt had been heart-broken at the thought of giving up American football at his old school, but the promise of Quidditch helped soothe him. After consulting with Harry and Ron, he decided to go for the chaser position that had been vacated last year by the departure of Katie Bell from the school. He was looking forward to the tryouts.

And so, the day of the Quidditch tryouts dawned...

It was a wonderful day for Quidditch, Harry decided. The sky was bright and clear and despite it being only mid-September, there was a lovely crispiness in the air. He smiled at the Gryffindors on the pitch.

"Right," he said, "Just a few more things I'd like you to do for me before we finish. Chasers, I'd like to see some Quaffle passing skills. Arrange yourselves in threes, please, and I'd like to see you make your way across the pitch towards the goals," it was good luck that there were precisely six people trying out for the chaser position. "Ginny and Sarah," he said, indicating the two current chasers of the team, "will be watching you, so I want you to show them everything you've got. Ron will be defending the goals, and don't go easy on him please," he joked, grinning and winking at his best friend who grinned back. "The more practise he gets, the better prepared we'll be at our next match.

"Beaters, kindly follow Jonathan, our beater, to the other end of the field. He will be showing you some special moves and techniques I'd like him to try out with you.

"I'll be watching..." he threatened, with a smile.

Not without some satisfaction, Harry watched everyone move to follow his orders. It felt good to fly again! Harry was an exceptionally good flier and he absolutely loved it! It was exhilarating, and there was nothing that made him feel quite as free and powerful as riding his trusty, old Firebolt.

He_ could_ have bought another broom. There were faster brooms on the market now, and Merlin knew he could afford them, but nothing could convince him to abandon the broom that was his first gift from his godfather.

"Harry's really good at this, isn't he?" asked Talia.

"Oh yes, he's a wonderful flier!" enthused Hermione next to her.

The two girls had agreed to sit at the stands and watch the tryouts. It was a lovely day and even Hermione, with a little persuasion from Talia, agreed to leaving the musty library for the great outdoors.

"He made the house quidditch team in his first year, you know."

"Really?"

"Oh, yes, the first one to do so in over a century! He could go professional one day if he wanted to," Hermione answered proudly.

"_Does_ he want to?"

Hermione became quiet at that and Talia realised her mistake and berated herself for her question.

"I'm sorry Mione, I didn't think-"

"Don't worry about it," Hermione smiled wryly, "I keep forgetting that we've known you and Wyatt for only a short time." She shrugged. "Who knows, maybe after the war, Harry will get a chance to go into professional quidditch. It'll certainly make him happy. And he deserves a little happiness," she added sadly, looking at her best friend happily zooming around on his broom.

From the first time that Talia and Wyatt had heard mention of Voldemort on the Hogwarts Express, they had heard of nothing else. The imminent, impending war was on everyone's minds and popped up inevitably in nearly every conversation. Talia assumed that talk of the war and Voldemort was perhaps more intense in Hogwarts than anywhere else, considering that both Dumbledore and Harry were here, and both seemed to have protagonist roles in current events. Talia had no idea how she and Wyatt had spent the summer in the wizarding world knowing nothing of what was going on! She berated herself, and made a point to remember to subscribe to the Daily Prophet, the main wizarding newspaper, to keep up to date with the news. Talia and Wyatt had already joined the DA. This was the first year the club functioned under permission of not only Dumbledore, but the current Defence Against the Dark Arts professor too.

Talia felt stupid for letting all that slip her mind, even for a second. But it was extremely tempting to forget. Talia had never before felt the easy acceptance she found at Hogwarts, and she relished every moment of being considered "normal". She sometimes forgot that she and Wyatt had been sent here for a reason, and that she should be trying to find out what that was. The whole idea of forgetting imminent danger and losing herself in the crowd, was tremendously appealing.

She inwardly scowled at the thought that she was going soft.

Talia hesitated.

"Hermione...?"

"Yes?"

"I looked up Harry in the library."

"Oh...?"

Hermione tensed. She tried to look apathetic, but it was obvious to Talia that she was anxious to hear what she had to say.

"Hell, he could have his own reference section for all the books that mention him!"

Hermione smiled and relaxed slightly.

"That's a lot of things for one person to go through..." continued Talia.

"Yes. And books don't even know the half of it! Harry hasn't had an easy time so far."

"From what I understand from the newspapers, the war with Voldemort should really break out soon. I'm glad for Harry's sake that he's got you and Ron to help him through it. And Ginny. You guys seem very close."

She was fishing.

"We are. Harry's like a brother to me and Ron. And Ginny's joined us the past couple of years."

"Thank you for accepting Wyatt and me into your group. Personally, I feel like I've known you four forever, and I think Wyatt feels the same way. It can't be easy, being in the middle of so much danger all the time. I just wanted to say that if you guys ever need anything, you can count on us."

Hermione turned fully to face her friend. She smiled warmly.

"Thanks Tal. You've no idea how much that means to me. I'm sure the others feel the same."

Talia smiled back.

"What are friends for, right?"

The two girls turned back to watch the tryouts.

"Wyatt's pretty good," commented Hermione.

Talia shrugged.

"He's always been very good at sports. Unlike his cousin," she commented wryly.

Hermione laughed at the disappointment in her voice.

"So I guess you don't do any sports?"

"No. Well, except martial arts that it."

Hermione stopped laughing.

"You know martial arts?" she asked incredulously.

"Both of my parents were always into them. Don't ask me why. My dad's taught me a few things, for self-defence."

"Sounds interesting."

"My dad's a very busy man and raising a daughter practically single-handedly wasn't easy. It was the only father-daughter bonding time we got."

"Oh? What does he do?" Hermione asked distractedly, watching Ron save yet another goal.

Talia inwardly cursed herself for bringing her father into the conversation and searched frantically for an answer.

"He's a lawyer, and my mother's an advice columnist in a newspaper," she said, more calmly than she felt. "What do your parents do?"

"They're dentists," Hermione grinned turning her attention back to the brunette. "Could've knocked them over with a feather when they found out about me being a witch! You know, I just can't get around the fact that both you and Wyatt are half-bloods, but you've been raised completely in the muggle world!"

Talia shrugged.

"Our mothers were raised the same way. The magical community in America isn't as big as the one here and we live in San Francisco, we don't see many magical creatures around there," she said, lying through her teeth.

San Francisco had one of the largest magic communities in America, but most of it was Wiccan and therefore kept little touch with the wizarding world.

"And how are my two favourite spectators?" asked Harry floating upside down in front of them on his broom.

"Show off!" teased Talia, to which Harry grinned.

"Just talking Harry," answered Hermione, "how are the tryouts going?"

"We've definitely got some good quidditch players here," he admitted, righting himself up, "but this is my last year on the team. I'm determined to win this year's cup, and to do that, we've got to have the best!"

Talia and Hermione smiled at his eagerness.

"How's Wyatt doing?" Talia asked.

Harry's grin widened.

"Are you sure he's never played quidditch before? He's bloody fantastic!"

"Harry!" admonished Hermione for Harry's choice of adjective.

"I'm pretty sure he'll make the team, at least where I'm concerned. I'll have to see what the others say of course, but I have a feeling that they'll agree with me."

"That's great Harry," Talia grinned. "He'll be very pleased to hear that!"

"Don't tell him yet!" Harry pretended to tell her off.

"Hey Harry!" called Jonathan, the fourth year Gryffindor beater, "come over here for a second will you?"

"Excuse me ladies," Harry smiled roguishly, "but duty calls!"

And with that, he was gone.

..oo00oo..

"Oh no!" exclaimed Hermione.

"What's wrong Mione?"

"It's the Slytherins. I bet they're here to cause trouble."

Talia turned to follow Hermione's line of vision to the group of green-clad people currently walking onto the pitch. Leading the group, was a very prominent head of white-blond hair.

"Come on Tal," Hermione said tugging Talia's sleeve, "we need to get down there fast, before a fight breaks out," but Talia was already on her feet climbing down the stands.

..oo00oo..

"Get off the field Potter!" called Draco Malfoy as Harry dismounted his Firebolt.

"This is our time on the field Malfoy. We booked it!"

"_Was_ your time, you mean, Scarhead. It's _our_ time now, so get your ugly face out of my sight!"

The rest of the Gryffindor team and all those that had been trying out, landed on the grass with their brooms, behind their team captain. Hermione and Talia rushed to stand by their friends' side.

"We still have fifteen minutes by my calculations, so get lost, Malfoy."

"And what would you know about calculations, Potter?"

"Move your butt, ferret, before we hex it off!" threatened Ron darkly, next to Harry, pointing his wand at the blond boy.

"Ron!" said Hermione softly but firmly, laying her hand on the arm of her red-haired friend.

Draco stared at the wand in front of him with distaste.

"Who's going to hex what, Weasel? You? Ha! I seem to remember that your hexes tend to backfire on you," he said referring to the slug incident in second year. "You couldn't pull off a proper hex if your life depended on it!"

Ron made as if to lunge at the blond boy, but Harry and Hermione held him back.

"What the hell do you want, Malfoy? You'll get your turn on the field when the time comes. Now move!"

"And who's going to make me Potter?" he sneered.

His team smirked their support behind him.

"Keep on talking, and _I_ will!" threatened Harry.

Draco narrowed his eyes at him.

"You and what army? Are you challenging me to a duel, Potter? Don't fool yourself. Just because you've lied your way into a few newspaper articles, doesn't mean you can beat me! I knew more hexes before coming to Hogwarts than you ever will," he boasted. "You couldn't even help that pet dog of yours a couple of years ago, could you, Potter?" he sneered, spitting Harry's surname out as if it were a bad word.

It was obvious to all that whatever that cryptic comment had meant, it had struck a nerve. Harry threw himself at Malfoy and it took both Jonathan and Ginny to pull him back before his hand closed around Draco's neck. Hermione had to practically jump on Ron's back to stop him from joining the almost fight.

The Slytherins laughed at Harry's exhibition of loss of control.

"Everyone calm down," tried Wyatt, his whitelighter, pacifist nature shining through. "This isn't doing anything. Let's just give them the field and get it over with!"

Ron sputtered in indignation.

"What? What for? This is our time on the field? Why should we just let them have it?"

"Ron Weasley that is _enough_!" said Hermione firmly, halting any advance her tall friend might have made.

"Hiding behind your little mudblood girlfriend's skirts now, are you Weasley? You're a disgrace to pure-blooded wizards everywhere! And an even bigger loser than I thought!" Draco smirked. His fellow team mates sniggered behind him while Wyatt and Hermione restrained Ron.

A slap resonated around the quidditch pitch and everyone turned in surprise to look at the girl who had finally shut Draco Malfoy up. Talia's palm print was now obvious on Draco's pale cheek.

"I've just about had enough of you, Draco Malfoy! You're being a complete and utter bastard! This isn't about the pitch and you know it! You came here looking for a fight!"

It was the 'mudblood' comment that had made Talia snap.

Being raised a half-witch, half-demon in the Underworld, Talia was only too aware of the significance that certain old-fashioned demons placed on purity of blood. No matter how powerful she was, or how high in the Underworld hierarchy she was placed, to them she would always be the half-blood; the mongrel; the abomination of their otherwise _perfect, _evil world. Draco's comment may not have been directed at her, but it had opened up old wounds. Her eyes blazed, and two spots of angry colour had risen to her cheeks.

"How dare you call Hermione that?! _So what_ if she's muggleborn? Does it really matter? From what I hear, she's probably smarter than both you, and the rest of your team put together!"

Draco's cheek still stung from where she had hit him. His facial expression changed from one of surprise to one of anger, more intense, than anyone had ever seen on him before.

"So they've really made a Gryffindor out of you, haven't they, Talia?" he said so softly, that people around them had to strain to hear.

Nobody was fooled. Draco's eyes stared ice cold daggers at her. The Gryffindors looked on in surprise and apprehension. Anger radiated off Draco in waves and even his own team mates took a cautious step back from their captain. Only Talia remained, her anger matching his, step for step.

"You say that as if it's a bad thing," she drawled with enough arrogance to match any Slytherin's.

Wyatt looked at Talia with a growing sense of alarm. After hearing Draco call Hermione that word on the Hogwarts Express, he had asked Ginny for its meaning and he was now fully aware of what it meant and how it would affect Talia. The scene with Perdicus a little less than a year ago, was still clearly imprinted in his mind. The last thing that Wyatt wanted was for Talia's strenuous control on her temper to snap. When Talia got angry, things _happened_ around her. Usually, it meant that someone got either badly beaten up, or dead, most likely a demon. Although there was no love lost between Wyatt and Draco, he did not wish to see the Slytherin die a most painful death at Talia's hands.

"Who do you think you're fooling, Talia?" Draco growled. "I know who you are _and _where you belong, and it's not with your precious Gryffindors!"

"And where is it that _you think_ I belong, Draco?" she asked, trying to ignore the alarm bells that rang at his proclamation of knowing who she was.

"Talia..." started Wyatt behind her, in an attempt to stop this before it went too far.

Talia didn't even turn to acknowledge him. She raised her right hand, palm towards him, to stop any interventions, no matter how well-meaning they were. It was a regal gesture; one that brooked no argument. Wyatt reluctantly backed down, but got ready to physically intervene if need be.

"I don't know how you fooled the sorting hat, Talia," Draco continued, "but you're a Slytherin to the bone and you always will be. I know that, and you know that! Why deny it? You certainly didn't this summer..." he sneered.

His bone-chilling voice hung in the air, heavy with insinuations. The anticipation was so thick, that people around them hardly dared to breathe.

"What happened this summer was a mistake!" Talia growled through clenched teeth.

There was fire in her eyes.

"You could have fooled me...! And I know a few people at the _Hog's Head_ who would agree!"

He leered at her.

Talia's hand rose to deliver a second slap but, quick as a snake, he grabbed her wrist before she could exact the blow.

"Don't you dare hit me again Talia, or I might just forget that you're a girl and strike back," he hissed, pulling her close to him so that his eyes bore into hers with such intensity, that a weaker person would've looked away.

"Stay away from my friends, Draco!" she snarled back.

"Or you'll do what exactly?" he used his advantage in height to intimidate, but Talia was having none of that.

His hand was still tightly, painfully wrapped around her wrist, but she refused to wince in the pain he caused her.

"You don't know me Draco," she said, reaching for the last vestiges of control she had left. "You don't know what you're messing with and you don't know what I'm capable of."

She tried to release her wrist but his fingernails only dug deeper in her skin. She was bound to have bruises tomorrow.

"Ah, but I bet I know more about you than your so-called friends..."

There was nothing Talia could say to that. It was true. On that one night, Draco had seen a side of her that her friends would likely never see. But there was more to her than what even Draco knew. The brave, friendly Gryffindor her friends saw, was a part of her too. Talia was a paradox, combining Gryffindor and Slytherin, the fire typical of Halliwell women, and the ice of the Underworld. She was all of these, and none.

Draco's eyes flashed in triumph when he saw she had no comeback for what he had just said. He smirked smugly and brought her already bruising wrist upwards so he could inspect it. His thumb caressed the red, tender skin between palm and forearm, but his eyes returned to meet her hate-filled own. He bent his head and with a smirk, brought the inside of her wrist, the part he'd bruised, to his lips. He kissed it tenderly and relinquished his hold on her. She snapped it back, glaring at him.

"I believe the field is ours now, Potter," he said coldly to Harry, still looking at the fuming brunette before him with a self-satisfied smirk.

Harry turned abruptly and left the field. His fellow Gryffindors followed him. Talia stormed away in a different direction, alone. Wyatt made to follow, but wisely changed his mind. She needed time to cool off.


	19. Cards on the Table

**A/N:** Aha! I knew I could do it! I knew I defeat all odds and update!

I know it's been awhile...

_Ernie: More. Than. A. While. Cinammon._

::sigh:: Yes, you're absolutely right, Ernie. ::hangs head:: I'm really sorry, but I'm sure that I don't have to explain how life can sometimes get in the way of fiction. Have just finished an Organisational Theory and Behaviour paper (1800 words!), and should be working on my Demography essay, for which I haven't even chosen a title yet, but I haven't updated for far too long, and homework will have to wait!

Not all of it was my fault, mind you. I've been trying to upload this chapter for the last week, but our beloved ff .net and Ernie just wouldn't let me, for some strange reason. It's a conspiracy I tell you! ::shakes fist dramatically at the heavens above::

I hope that the fact that this is the longest chapter I have ever written, makes up for the delay...

_Ernie: Do. We. Have. Time. For. Some. Quick. Thank. Yous?_

I think we owe them this much Ernie, but they'll have to be quick.

_Ernie: Thank. You. **Anna**._

I trust the holidays were good for you? Yes, I think we're all wondering over Talia's and Draco's future relationship, but we'll have to wait a bit for that.

_Ernie: **CharmedSisters**_

Ooh, catty! Why, did you fancy a little fried Draco? Because that's exactly what would have happened if I let Talia use her powers. Can you imagine the paperwork that would have caused? I felt sorry for Dumbledore.

_Ernie: Thank. You. **Ori**._

Cruising for a bruising, huh? My dad used to use that expression and I haven't heard it in ages, but it fits Draco to a 'T'. In the books, he's always cruising for a bruising. Talia isn't giving him the attention he wants and it's pissing him off. After what happened between them in the summer, that can be detrimental to a guy's self-confidence, even a guy as arrogant as Draco. I wonder what he'll do about it...

_Ernie: **Nexos23**_

Hope you like this one just as much!

_Ernie: **Svata2004**_

I'm sorry you had to wait so long to see what happens next, but here it finally is: the next chapter! Enjoy it!

_Ernie: **Harrypotterfan4eva**_

Flattery will get you everywhere, darling! Hehe! I'm honoured that you think I'd make a good author, but I'm well aware that, no matter how much I enjoy writing, I'd never be good enough to make a career out of it. Lucky for me, there's always websites like this and kind people like you, to accept my mediocre writing. You want good authors? Check out Kyra4, bk and Gravidy for D/Hr, Silver Phoinix25 for R/Hr, She's a Star for R/Hr, H/G and S/S (Snape/Sinistra – don't knock 'till you've tried it) and Leyna Rountree for S/Hr. In fact, take a look through all of my favourites for some very good reading that will have you forgetting my little stories and entertained for hours!

_Ernie: **Mcgirl**_

Stop baiting me to try and get me to divulge what happens next! It's all too tempting you know, but I'm keeping my mouth shut on this one... Enjoy this chapter!

_Ernie: The. Insightful. Asian. Orchid_

You're not by any chance a mind reader, are you? Yes Talia needed some time to cool off after that confrontation. As for punching something... why don't you read on and see?

_Ernie: **Frisbee400**_

If Draco keeps this going, he just might get his sorry butt kicked!

As for Harry's reaction, I'd like to think that he was struck dumb with rage after the pet dog comment. All he saw where big red letters flashing "KILL! KILL! KILL!" in front of him, and that's exactly what he tried to do to Draco. It was the Gryffindor beater, Jonathan and Ginny that stopped him, not Hermione. After Harry's Great Quidditch Ban in fifth year by Umbridge, the entire team is aware of Harry's temper and the negative consequences it might bring and they try and stop him from doing anything that would repeat that year's events. Ginny was definitely tempted to let Harry go, but common sense ruled out. And I happen to think that Hermione would've done the same. In OotP on the train, when Draco mentioned a dog, Hermione had shut the compartment's door more or less in his face to avoid a fight. When Talia attacked Draco, people were shocked. _We _know what she's capable, but the Hogwarts students, other than Wyatt and Draco, had never seen her so much as raise her voice. All they could do was watch.

_Ernie: Thank. You. **Winter. Blaze.**_

As you see, I finally got around to writing more. Enjoy it!

_Ernie: Thank. You. **Colorfree.**_

A new reader, I presume? Reviewer at least? I'm glad you're enjoying. I understand how using too many points of view in one chapter might be too confusing, but the truth is, I don't see what I'm doing as examining different points of view. I like to think that the story is being told by a capricious narrator, with the ability to pop in and out of characters' heads at will, to check on their thoughts at any point during the story. I hope that's a little less confusing. I hate not being able to see what every character thinks at every part of the unfolding plot. It's why my writing goes so slow in the first place. You will keep reading anyway, won't you? Thank you for taking the time to read so far and to review. I hope you enjoy the coming chapters just as much.

_Ernie: Thank. You. **Bob-the-Bear**._

Ah, what would I do without the official Talia chronicles cheerleader? Any applications to join the squad kindly send them here. I and head cheerleader, **Bob-the-bear** will consider them and get back to you. And just for the record, I don't think you need co-ordination lessons, cheerleading lessons, dancing lessons, or making-up-lyrics lessons. You're perfect just the way you are. Loved the song!

_Ernie: **Songwithoutworz**_

Thanks for staying up to read the previous chapter. Hope you're getting more sleep now. Things are definitely heating up. Enjoy this next chapter.

_Ernie: **Reigning. Devil.**_

Love the name! I hope you don't mind waiting so long. Here's the next instalment...

_Ernie: Thank. You. **Devlin. Rose.**_

Hehe. I'm so glad you like the previous chapter so much! I live for reactions like yours. This story's definitely and AU (I mean, come on, I'm using original characters!) but I have incorporated quite a few elements from JKR's books the way that I perceive them. I'm guessing with a lot of the HP stuff, but I like to think that I'm not too much of the mark. It's certainly satisfying to know that someone else appreciates the effort that goes into coming up with rational, believable explanations for the changes in cannon characters. Thank you. And as for Draco, Talia and who she tells about her past... Wouldn't you like to know...

_Ernie: **Mixer**_

I look forward to you reviews as much as I look forward to the 'caramel barrel' in a Cadbury's roses selection box! And Ernie appreciates your comments just as much I assure you.

_Ernie: Absolutely. Us. Personal. Assistants. Are. So. Frequently. Forgotten. But. You. Make. Up. For. That._

See? Having conferred with my personal assistant, we'd like to inform you that we dedicate this absolute monster of a chapter to you, for your wonderful words. I hope you enjoy it!

_Ernie: The. Truly. Charming. **Charming. Star.**_

Christmas was lovely. I hope yours was too? Thank you for saying how much you enjoyed the previous chapter. Hope you like this one just as much!

_Ernie: **Charmed148**_

Life getting in the way? Tell me about it!

Was the word you were looking for, tension? Did you mean to say that the last chapter was filled with tension? Because that's what I was going for, and hopefully, it worked. Even before the fight with Draco, I wanted all my readers to feel the tension behind the magical school's day-to-day activities. Harry's generation should be having fun, falling in love, playing quidditch, doing their homework, and enjoying the last vestiges of their childhood before they're dumped in the grown-up world. But the truth is, even though they all go through the motions - they still play quidditch, do their homework and fall in love - they're all aware of this underlying tension and the menacing shadow of the on-going war that hangs over them _all the time._ Everything they do feels _sharper_ somehow; both more important and less important, than ever before. Wyatt and Talia, as newcomers, can perhaps feel this the most. Most students at Hogwarts try to get through every day not thinking, or at least talking about it. But people like Draco, only need to use words like "mudblood" to bring it all rushing back. It's a very volatile situation.

_Ernie: And. Finaly. **DD2.**_

I wouldn't dream of ending it here! There's a lot more to come before you hear that this story is finished. Keep reading and you'll see for yourself!

I'd just like to thank Nightcrawler once more, for the fantastic work he's done on this chapter. I would have delete the entire last part of this chapter if it were for him. He convinced me that it was good enough to stay.

Don't forget to review! And now – finally, I hear you groan – on with the story!

**Chapter 19: Cards On The Table**

Snape walked the dungeon corridors in his usual brisk, no-nonsense pace that allowed for his robes to billow dramatically around him. He would've kept on walking if he hadn't heard the clang of metal on metal coming out from his own private, training room.

Not many people knew of this level of the dungeons and even less ever came here. There was an evil, unrecognisable, something, in the air, that frightened most people away. This is where Professor Snape did many of his own highly advanced experiments on potions. Some were for Voldemort, some for the Order, and some were part of his own personal research. There were many rooms, some of which he put to use, most of which he did not. One of these rooms he had turned into a personal training room.

As Talia and Wyatt had discovered during the summer, Severus was very much in shape. He had to be, what with being a double agent to Voldemort for the Order, though of course, they didn't know that. Snape had grown up in a rather unpleasant household. His entire family were well known supporters of the black arts, and physical violence was often used to discipline him. Learning how to defend himself had been a matter of survival. In school he had often gotten in fights, more often than not, with the infamous Marauders. But his real training in a number of fighting techniques and styles, had of course, come from Lord Voldemort, who had prided in him one of his most valuable assassins, when Snape was still loyal to him. Frequent sparring sharpened his skills, but also offered an avenue of escape when his murderous rage got the better of him, when life as a death eater, a spy, or even a teacher, got too much.

Judging Talia and Wyatt worthy of this very personal room, his sanctum when his mind and heart were in turmoil, he had revealed it to them during the summer and given them permission to use it whenever they liked.

The room had been a gift more to Talia than Wyatt. Snape had recognised Talia's spirit as very similar to his own. He recognised the need for physical release when things didn't go her way, because the same need could be found in him. The three of them, along with one other person - Snape reminded himself - were the only people who ever used this room.

Which is why he was surprised to hear it obviously being used at this time of day. He was well aware that Wyatt and Talia did most of their combat training first thing in the morning, while he and that other person, tended to use the room in. And so, he resolved to investigate. Severus Snape walked softly and quietly to the room, opened the door and snuck inside.

..oo00oo..

Talia toyed cruelly with her opponent weaving her sword in and out in complicated manoeuvres. She blocked easily the magic statue's own advances. The metal of her sword chipped often at the stone of his body and she hardly seemed out of breath as she rolled away from his own lethal blade. An intricate and impressively inventive web of swear words that would've made a sailor blush, left her lips in a scary, seemingly never-ending, torrent.

Snape raised an eyebrow in silent question. Whoever had riled up the brunette, must have done something really bad to get her this angry!

"For Morgana's sake, give me a damned challenge!" shouted Talia, and her words echoed in the large room. Two more of the armed statues that lined up the walls, lifted their swords and advanced menacingly towards her.

The fight intensified, and Snape watched fascinated as the small girl fought three opponents that were, each, at least twice her size, at the same time. She was a blur of motion between them. She blocked and parried, and twisted and turned. She stabbed and slashed, and ducked and weaved. Snape's eyes widened in admiration. Severus Snape wasn't known for his capacity to feel pity, but he was suddenly very sorry for whoever it was that had angered the girl...

She fought for a long time and Severus remained standing throughout the whole thing, casually leaning against the door on one side of the room, silently observing.

"Enough!" she finally said, panting heavily.

The three statues, bits and pieces now missing from their bodies and armour, stood back. They bowed to her and she bowed back, before they slid noisily back into their positions against the wall.

Talia bent down to pick up the towel she had dropped there earlier. Only her heavy breathing could now be heard bouncing off the walls of the vast training room. He pushed off the wall and walked to meet her in the centre of the large room.

"That was very impressive," Severus finally chose to comment.

She turned in a lightning fast movement bringing her sword round with her and Snape had to force himself not to swallow in an instinctive gesture of sudden fear. Her blade was pressed right up against the sensitive skin of his throat and swallowing could've proven to be lethal.

"Professor?" Talia said, looking up, startled by the interruption. She lowered her sword immediately. She seemed embarrassed to be caught like this. "I didn't see you there. Have you been here long?"

"Long enough," he drawled in an attempt to take back some of his dignity.

"You always seem to catch me at my worst," she said wryly.

"I wouldn't say that."

She shot a glance to him to see if he was angry with her. He was not. Her stance relaxed, and she shrugged. She turned her back on him and bent down to snatch a cloth off the floor in one graceful movement. She followed it by sitting down comfortably on the dojo-like mattresses that covered the training room floor. Then, paying the Potions Master no more mind, she lovingly started to wipe down her sword, seemingly focusing all of her attention in that one task. Snape watched interestedly, noting the long, loving strokes she used, to make her sword glimmer and shine.

Curiosity burned in him, yet he paused, unsure if he had any right to continue with what he was about to ask. He went ahead anyway. "I've refrained from asking you before, Turner, but where did you learn how to fight like that?"

Talia stopped her work, but said nothing at first, her eyes still focused on the lethal blade in her hands. With infinite slowness she lifted those big, brown eyes to meet his obsidian ones. She narrowed them calculatingly, inspecting him in a seemingly new light. She observed the Professor carefully for a long time and for the first time in ages, Severus Snape felt the uncharacteristic desire to fidget.

"Can I trust you, Professor?" she asked softly.

Severus considered the question carefully. He knew she was talking about more than what he had just asked her. All summer long he had tried to discover the mystery that surrounded the two cousins. He had asked Dumbledore repeatedly about them, but the headmaster had changed the subject every time, with his blue eyes twinkling like some sort of beacon on his kind face. When Severus refused to be swayed, the old man had simply refused to answer. To say that he was curious was an understatement. But now that he was finally offered the opportunity to learn the truth, from the horse's mouth, so to speak, he couldn't help the sudden sense of apprehension that overwhelmed him. He sensed too, the dilemma of the young woman before him. Like him, she was not quick to trust and if he ever betrayed the trust she was offering him, he would never be able to gain it back.

"Honestly? I don't know," he admitted. "Perhaps I'm not the best candidate for you to confide in," he said, and his deep voice reverberated with sincerity, "but whatever your story is, I promise not to judge you, and I'll keep what you tell me to myself. Unless I have serious reasons to believe that others need to know," he added seriously.

Slowly a small smile appeared on her lips and she seemed pleased. He found he could suddenly breathe a little easier, though his outer appearance had betrayed none of his tension to begin with.

"If I tell you my story, Professor, will you tell me yours?"

He was startled, though he refused to show it.

"What makes you think I have a story to tell? I'm a simple Potions Master," he claimed, as nonchalantly as he could.

Talia snorted.

"Simple Potions Master my ass!" she said crudely. "You're as much a simple Potions Master, as I'm a simple student and we both know it! There is darkness in your past, Professor, I can feel it."

He raised an eyebrow. The cheek of the wench! Snape sighed in resignation. It was only fair, he decided.

"Alright," he agreed. "But you go first."

She sat on one of the large, dark purple cushions that adorned the room.

"Make yourself comfortable, Professor. This might take a while."

Snape's eyebrow lifted, but he walked to where she sat and sat across from her without complain.

"What do you know of the Charmed Ones, Professor?"

If her question took him by surprise, once again he didn't show it. Snape answered carefully.

"Three mythical, prophesised sister witches. Considered by many to be the strongest witches in the world. As far as I know, it's nothing but a story, a bunch of old predictions and premonitions."

Talia smiled quizzically.

"Not quite as mythical as you might think." She took a big breath. "My mother's a Charmed One," she said. "She, Wyatt's mother, and our other aunt, make up the Charmed Ones' sisterhood. Together, they really are the three strongest witches in the world."

Neither said anything for a while, then Snape whistled appreciatively, something that Talia had done herself, during one of his lessons.

"That would explain why yourself and Mr. Halliwell are so powerful."

Talia said nothing, but she threw him a half-smile.

"There's more, Professor. As you probably know, most Wiccans are half-bloods, largely because Wiccan witches live in the muggle world, but Wyatt and I are actually both purebloods; in the most-widely-used wizarding sense of the word at least."

Snape's eyebrows furrowed in thought.

"What do you mean?"

"What would you say is the most common interpretation of the term "pure-blooded", Professor?"

"That both of the child's parents are magical," Snape answered automatically. He frowned. "I think I may understand what you're getting at. Half-veelas are considered purebloods because both parents are magical, but only one parent is a witch or wizard. Half-giants on the other hand, are considered half-bloods because giants are not magical beings," he said thinking of Hagrid. "Are you saying that both you and Mr. Halliwell were fathered by some sort of magical being?"

Talia nodded.

"You could say that. Do you know what Whitelighters are, Professor?"

Snape did.

"Guardian angels for witches and wizards. Wiccan witches usually have more interaction with them, but we wizards, even those of us that do have them, never get to know ours."

Talia nodded again.

"Wyatt's father used to be a whitelighter."

Snape raised an eyebrow, half in surprise and half in question.

"_Used_ to be?"

"He was 'promoted' to Elder."

Had Professor Snape been drinking or eating at the moment, he would have choked. His eyes bulged and his mouth opened in a silent 'o'.

"That's... very impressive."

Talia seemed amused.

"I didn't even know that whitelighters could...have children. Aren't they supposed to be...of the spirit world?" Snape asked more tactfully than he was known to.

Talia winced.

"Not quite. Whitelighters are just as solid as you or I. Trust me on this. Uncle Leo has been married to Aunt Piper for years."

Her eyes bore in his, deadly serious.

"I'm only telling you this, because I know Wyatt wouldn't mind. We talked about telling the Professors all about us this summer. Professor Dumbledore didn't think it was a good idea, but it's our secret to tell. Wyatt's little secret is hardly unfavourable and, the truth is...we wouldn't have had to hide quite so much, if Wyatt's lineage was our biggest secret."

Her eyes were sad; for once, unguarded, when with him. He could see just how much telling him was costing her. He didn't stop her though. She herself implied that there was more to come.

"Wyatt's very, very powerful, but he's your classical good guy. He and the rest of his family would give everything they have, to protect anyone who's in trouble.

"That's what the Charmed Ones do you know, protect and help innocents, people who can't help themselves: muggles, other witches, wizards... It's no wonder the hat placed him in Gryffindor!"

Talia paused and drank a little from the water bottle she had brought with her.

Severus' mind worked at lightning speed. Talia's words echoed in his head. '_protect and help innocents..._' The headmaster was trying to protect Potter by bringing in the Charmed Ones' children to Hogwarts! Severus wondered if Talia was aware of that.

"I believe you might be knowledgeable of quite a bit of dark magic, Professor. Am I right?"

Snape looked up, surprised. What did that have to do with anything? He nodded and readied himself for what was to follow. Talia said that Wyatt's lineage wasn't their biggest secret, but what could be bigger than that?

"Then you've heard of the Source of All Evil."

His expression told her all she needed to know.

"Are you aware that approximately seventeen years ago there was a 'readjustment' in the hierarchy of the Underworld?"

Snape nodded again, an uncomfortable feeling uncurling at the pit of his stomach,

"From what I understand, the Source was replaced - as was most of the Evil Council - although I am unaware as to why. Anyone connected even remotely with the Dark Arts felt it."

Talia bit her lip, and Snape was surprised at how vulnerable she looked at that very moment. Gone was the bravado he had grown accustomed to throughout the summer. Gone was the dangerous edge that seemed to always lurk behind her brown eyes.

"Let me tell you a story, Professor," Talia said. She took another sip from her water bottle in an attempt to moisten her suddenly dry lips. She locked eyes with the older man sitting cross-legged across from her.

"There once was a half-demon, half-muggle. He was very powerful; more powerful than most pure-blooded demons. His name was Belthazor. Belthazor rose quickly in the hierarchy of the Underworld, to become one of the old Source's most powerful, most trusted, demons. Until he was given a very special mission, that is. To spy on, and kill the Charmed Ones.

"Belthazor took on his human form, his human name being Cole Turner, and befriended the Charmed Ones in an attempt to get close to them and eventually destroy them. There was one thing however, that Belthazor did not count on. Both his human and demon half, fell deeply and passionately in love with one of the Charmed Ones. So much so, that he refused the Underworld for her sake and tried to become good."

If Snape hadn't been Snape, he would've gasped. He didn't, but his shock was evident nonetheless. He covered it quickly.

"You are the daughter of a Charmed One and a demon?"

Talia hesitated.

"Not quite Professor," she said grimly. "The Charmed Ones vanquished the old Source, but the Source's powers, chose Belthazor to be their new host. Cole and my mother got married, and when she found out his true nature, she tried to refuse her own destiny for the sake of their love and became his Dark Queen. It didn't last of course. It couldn't have. But it was too late, their love produced a child."

Snape gulped.

"You are _the Source's daughter_?"

Talia nodded.

Snape was shaken up - who wouldn't be? – but for the sake of the girl who sat, watching him intently, he tried to place the cold mask her words had shattered, back on his suddenly too pale – even for him – face. The Princess of the Underworld wasn't fooled of course. He could see it in the way she looked at him. She suddenly seemed much older than the seventeen years she claimed to be. There was something of the tragic queen in her, and her eyes told of things he couldn't possibly imagine. They told of pain and suffering; they seemed to know hatred and death - intimately; to have yielded power most mortals couldn't even conceive. Shivers travelled down his spine.

With a whispered command and a swish of his wand, a bottle of Firewhiskey appeared before them, along with two crystal glasses. Shakily, the Potions Master poured Firewhiskey in the glasses. He took one in his hand and offered Talia the other, not bothering with the fact that she was underage and his student - an indication of just how upset he was. He swallowed the fiery liquid in one gulp, then refilled his glass. Talia sipped from her own, rolling around the liquid in her mouth with her tongue, observing him the entire time.

She gave him a weak smile.

"Are you sure you want to hear the rest?"

_There was more?! _– he incredulously wanted to ask.Snape nodded.

"I was raised by my father in the Underworld. You'll probably find this hard to believe, but it wasn't as bad as it sounds. They called me the Princess of All Evil."

She paused briefly before continuing.

"I...have extraordinary abilities."

"I bet," Severus managed dryly.

She didn't smile.

"There was use for me in the Underworld. I became my father's number one assassin."

Almost without thinking, Snape took another gulp from his glass. What was the girl trying to do – kill him of shock?

"I killed for the first time when I was six years old."

Snape swallowed the rest of the contents of his glass in one panicked shot.

Talia couldn't help but smile at the usually stern Professor's antics, despite the severity of the situation.

"You have to understand that my father never made me do any of it. He simply asked, and I chose to follow his commands out of my own free will. And I've done some really horrible things in my life," she admitted softly.

"Last year I reached a point I never want to reach again. The last killing was too much for me to take. I had had enough.

"I left the Underworld and searched for my mother. I've lived with the Charmed Ones for a year now," she took a sip from her glass and continued in conversational tones, "They've all been tremendously supportive." She hesitated, "I have to fight the darkness inside me every day, but each day, it gets a little easier. The darkness will never leave me. I was part of the Underworld once, and it will forever be a part of me," she smiled sadly. "But I'm on the side of the Light now, and I help protect innocents." She snorted inelegantly. "Perhaps part of me is hoping that it'll make up for some of the terrible things I've done in the past."

She finally looked at Professor Snape. She'd been avoiding him during that entire little speech. She seemed to anxiously be waiting for his reaction. Her respect for the Potions Master had grown during the summer and his opinion meant a lot to her. But Snape said nothing.

"This is where you're supposed to say something," prompted Talia nervously.

Severus looked at his student, taking in her distraught appearance. Gone was the confident girl that was there minutes before. She had unconsciously curled her body into as small a shape as possible, and her impossibly large eyes looked even bigger than normal on her unusually pale face. She suddenly looked more like an eleven-year-old than a seventeen-year-old, and he distractedly marvelled at her ability to be practically ageless. Snape's heart, something that many doubted to actually exist, went out to her.

He cracked a small smile at her. He wanted to show her that he wasn't angry. He knew instinctively that that was what she was most afraid of – that, and his disgust – and for some reason he couldn't explain, he felt that it was important he reassured her he felt none of those things. And so he smiled. It wasn't a smirk, or a sneer, but a genuine, albeit slight, smile. The rest of the student body would have been shocked!

"I don't intend on blaming you Talia, or holding your past against you," the silky tones of his deep voice stated.

He had used her first name only a few times before, when the two of them were alone, and it warmed her to hear him say it again. She never could get Xander to call her anything other than "Princess Talia", or "my lady", and the man had helped change her diapers when she was a baby for goodness' sake!

It would have startled all her Gryffindor friends, but she had always felt at ease around Professor Snape. The use of her first name showed that he felt the same connection she did. Talia was glad. When she had first met him, she had searched his soul for darkness and she had found plenty, but Talia had also found something else in him. She had seen the man's sense of honour, though he tried to disguise it, and it had reminded her oddly of Xander and her father: her greatest, and only, allies and guardians in the hostile world she had grown up in. Her instincts yelled at her to trust the snarky Potions Master, even if her logic told her not to. He reminded her of the Old World elegant Darkness she had been raised in, where vestiges of a twisted sense of honour survived in classical, sardonic, intelligent villains one could actually respect and admire. Snape would never know just how much his words to her now would mean to her.

"In your defence, I have to say, that you can't help who your parents are. And, even though you say that what you've done in the past was done of your own free will, I have to say that being raised in the Underworld, would hardly give anyone proper moral guidance. You've changed now, and that's what matters. You have to hold on to that. The past is the past and can't be changed. What matters is the present and the future."

He sighed tiredly. Good gods, that sounded familiar! Wasn't that what Albus had told him a few weeks ago when he came back from a Death Eater meeting full of self-doubt and self-loathing?

"The dark side is a very enticing place," he admitted, "and I should know. I've been there too, Talia."

Talia looked up to see him avoiding her eyes. She expected as much.

"It's ironic really, but you and I aren't really that different, in a way.

"Hanging around with Potter, I presume you've heard all about Voldemort..."

Talia nodded.

"I suppose he might pale in comparison to some of the things you've seen, but... he is still the worst our world has to offer; the possible end of wizarding life as we know it. I was still in school when I joined his ranks.

"My family was always one of the most prominent pure-blooded families. Similarly to others like them, they weren't above seeking power in dark magic, and hated anything that they felt polluted their pure-blooded world, yet, strangely enough, they did not hold with Voldemort much. I guess thought that by joining the Dark Lord's ranks, I'd show my father that I was better than him, that I could take my studies of the dark arts at least one step further than he ever did.

"At first, I wasn't very popular in school with my peers. I was hardly the best looking there and it wasn't easy being the clever, bookish one all the time. Add to that the fact that most of the other houses hate Slytherin anyway, and..."

Talia made as if to contradict that idea, but a look from the Professor silenced her. She was properly chastised. She knew he was right.

"In my third year however, things changed. I was approached by a sixth year Slytherin. His name was Lucius Malfoy."

"Draco's father," Talia said.

"Yes. We became friends. Lucius was rich, he was clever, and he was very popular. All of a sudden, and for the very first time, people started noticing me. _I_ became popular – with the Slytherins at least. The Ravenclaws weren't that bad either. No self-respecting Slytherin would ever affiliate themselves with Hufflepuff though, and as for Gryffindor...well, I'm sure you've seen for yourself the enmity between the two houses."

Talia thought back to the scene that had played out on the quidditch field earlier that day. She nodded.

"You have to understand how much that meant to me. I worshipped Lucius. When he and his friends started dabbling in the dark arts, it was only natural that I join them. Black magic was something we'd all been raised around, back home. It was dangerous and exciting to practise it ourselves, away from our parents' supervision. The dark arts came easily to me. It was positively frightening how easily they came to me!" He shuddered. "There's so much power in the dark arts... and to have all that power running in your veins..." he shook his head in remorse, "it was intoxicating!" he said hoarsely and not without a little longing.

Talia nodded. She understood.

"In Lucius' seventh year, my fourth, he was approached by the Dark Lord. I still remember when he came that night and showed me his mark. You know about the mark, right?"

Talia nodded again. Back on the Hogwarts Express, when she and Wyatt had first heard of Voldemort, Harry had mentioned that Voldemort's followers were branded with his mark upon their initiation.

"I was actually jealous!" he said bitterly. "In my seventh year, I was proud to follow in my friends' footsteps."

Severus lifted his sleeve and Talia saw the ugly mark on his skin. She looked up to see that he too was inspecting the mark, and there was self-loathing in his eyes.

"Like you, I became an assassin.

"I killed for the first time when I was seventeen as part of the initiation, and from then on, it just never seemed to end. I had a knack for it. There was so much blood...I minded at first, but not nearly as much as I should've done. I soon grew deaf to the protests of my conscience all together! Don't get me wrong, I never enjoyed the killing and the tortures," Snape took another sip from his glass. "No, I left that to Lucius. I just...became numb, I guess, to the pain, suffering and death I dealt to others."

There was no need for him to explain further. He saw from her eyes that she understood, better than any seventeen-year-old had a right to. The first time was always the hardest. It got easier after that. With every murder, you lost a little bit of your humanity, until one day, you found that you had none left. That's when human life, anyone's but your own, seized to have any importance or value to you. To you, killing became routine, almost like doing your everyday chores. It was part of what you did, and soon, if you weren't careful, it would be part of who you were. No one could ever pull back after they reached that stage.

Talia's throat felt dry. She downed the alcohol in her glass. Yes, she understood, only too well.

"What made you turn?" she asked softly.

He smirked, a hint of the old Snape she'd known, finally shining through.

"What makes you think I turned?" he drawled.

"_You _do," she said confidently, and her eyes were as soft as her voice was.

There was a small pause. He was stunned by her certainty.

"Well, you're right," said Severus, a little awkward with how kind she was with him when listening to all of this. Part of him had expected her to recoil away from him in horror, but then again... Considering who she was, and what she herself had just confided in him, it was only logical that she would understand.

"There was a girl; a half-blood. I was nineteen at the time, she was sixteen. I remembered her vaguely from school. A damned Gryffindor! They brought her to Voldemort. Apparently, she had something they wanted. Her father was an auror and she knew something about Dumbledore's plans against Voldemort. They tortured her; raped her over and over again...

"Normally I'd be ordered to take part. Killing wasn't the only thing I was good at, you see. I was a damned good interrogator too. But Voldemort didn't give her to me this time. She wasn't my responsibility. And so I watched her _case_," he sneered in a grimace of disgust, "from afar._ "_None of us thought she would last very long, but the stubborn wench did. I watched her, her body bruised and torn and burnt - blood oozing out of every wound – spit in her captors' faces." He scowled. "It was the bravest and stupidest thing I've ever seen anyone do! The stupid girl never gave them what they wanted to know and they kept her for weeks on end. They thought she was _fun!_" he spat out bitterly.

"I'd seen others treated the same way in Voldemort's dungeons. I don't know what made her different, but she got to me somehow. She had these big, brown eyes and masses and masses of ridiculously long brown hair. She looked a bit like Miss Granger I guess. We never spoke, but I was often forced to watch while Lucius and my other "friends" tortured her. Towards the end, she didn't even have the strength to scream anymore. She used to look at me when they... did things to her. I don't know why. I'll never know why. Maybe she was hoping I'd help her. I never did of course. They would've killed us both before I'd even thought to try. Her eyes still haunt my dreams sometimes."

The young girl placed a comforting hand on her Professor's arm as he took yet another sip from his glass.

"The day they finally killed her, I went to Dumbledore. I gave myself up thinking they'd just throw me in Azkaban and forget about me, but the crafty old bastard asked me to spy for him instead. A year later, Voldemort attacked the Potters and I'm sure you know what happened then."

Talia nodded and he downed the rest of his drink. She refilled both their glasses and they drank in silence. They stayed like that for a while; silent; both sipping alcohol from their refilled glasses.

"Professor, I have to know, where do you stand, now, with Voldemort back?" Talia suddenly asked.

He looked at her. He had left that little detail out on purpose, but she was perceptive. This was dangerous territory she was heading in. He hesitated.

"Hey, I keep your secret, you keep mine," she said softly.

He took one look at her, remembered everything she'd confessed to him earlier. Damn Albus and his little machinations! This was between him and Talia. Voldemort and Dumbledore had each claimed part of him for their own so that Snape hardly felt in control of his own self anymore! Well this would be his decision to make and his alone, he forcefully and on an impulse decided. He looked into Talia's shining eyes and made up his mind. She might have been the Source's daughter, but his instincts screamed at him to trust her and for once, he would let his cold, underused, heart make the decision for him. He would let his fate rest with her. He gave her a curt nod.

"I still spy for Dumbledore."

She smiled grimly.

"I don't intend on blaming you, Professor, or holding your past against you." Her eyes burned holes in his with their intensity. He lowered them to look at the floor, still finding it as difficult to accept forgiveness as he did the night he fist came to see Albus. But she relentlessly continued. "A very wise man once told me that the past is the past and can't be changed. What matters is the present and the future," she said gravely, repeating his own words to him.

Snape looked back up in surprise.

She smirked a little too smugly for his taste.

"Come, Professor, let's get out of here. The floor is uncomfortable and there's still plenty of Firewhiskey in this bottle."

She picked up the bottle and her glass off the floor and offered a hand to pull him up. He took her proffered hand and rose to his feet, graceful despite his age and their prolonged position on the floor.

"Where are we going?" he asked still half dazedly at all that had been said between them.

"To your rooms, Professor," she stated, as if it were obvious.

He raised an eyebrow at her.

Her lips curled in a mischievous smile worthy of those damned Weasley twins.

"Neither of us is going to get any sleep tonight and I'm not letting you finish off this bottle on your own. The floor is uncomfortable," she repeated, "and I can't even imagine the Gryffindors' reactions if I took you back to the Gryffindor common room with a bottle of Firewhiskey in tow! Don't worry Professor," she continued relentlessly, "I promise you, your virtue is safe from me."

His lips twitched, but that would've been too much smiling in the space of an hour for the cold-hearted the Head of Slytherin. He turned it into a smirk instead.

"Don't be cheeky, Miss Turner."

Walking side by side, Severus and his student made their way out of the training room. He opened the door for her.

"Have I ever told you Professor, that you remind me of one of my father's friends?" she asked grinning. "His name's Xander. I've always called him Uncle Xander. Maybe I should call you Uncle Sev?"

"Don't push your luck, Turner!" he growled half-heartedly.

..oo00oo..

Talia was actually whistling as she walked back to the Gryffindor common room!

She had just spent a delightful evening with Professor Snape. She had found him to be a very intelligent man, and she had found herself appreciating his rather caustic wit. It was the books on Shakespeare that had clinched it, she decided. Who knew that Snape, of all people, would be so well versed in muggle literature!

"Talia! Where the hell have you been? We've been worried sick about you?" called Ron, the moment Talia walked into the Gryffindor common room.

She was suddenly surrounded by her well-meaning friends and bombarded with questions.

"Shh! Quieten down, will you? You'll wake everyone up! What are you doing up so late anyway?"

"Our point exactly Talia," said Harry, "it's past curfew!" He seemed upset.

"Tal," Wyatt said kindly, "we were worried about you! You've been gone for hours and we didn't know where you were. You missed dinner."

Talia felt a little guilty for causing so many people to worry over her.

"I'm sorry guys. I didn't mean to be gone that long. I just...well, after the thing with Draco...I kind of needed to cool off before coming back, you know?"

Her friends led her to a large couch and crowded around her.

"Is that alcohol I smell on you?" asked Hermione in alarm.

"Where have you been all this time?" Ron demanded.

"With a friend," answered Talia vaguely.

"Who?" pressed Ginny.

"You don't know them."

"Talia," growled Harry warningly, "we know you were in Snape's rooms."

Ron visibly shuddered.

At a loss of what to do at Talia's disappearance, her friends had checked the Marauders' map and were shocked at seeing Talia's presence not only in the dungeons, but in Snape's private quarters no less! Worst case scenarios passed through their minds instantly and they had been arguing whether they should go after her, or wait for her in the common room, when she had finally appeared.

Talia looked at Wyatt questioningly, but he just shrugged. Talia frowned.

"How do you know?" she asked, scowling.

"What were you doing there, Talia?" Harry demanded, unsure if he wanted to hear her answer.

Talia sighed.

"Turns out he's an old friend of my father's," she said, making eye contact with Wyatt once again. She watched him startle at her words, but no one else noticed. Everyone's attention was on her. "I ran into him when I was still angry with Draco, and he asked me what was wrong. We talked. And, since we both missed dinner, we went back to his rooms and he had the house elves bring us some food. We spent the entire evening just... talking. About literature mostly. That's all! He was very nice about it and there's really nothing to be upset about!" she defended herself and her favourite Professor as sincerely as she could.

It was more or less true. They had spent the evening talking. But she left out the Firewhiskey. And the brandy. That lovely Chablis, and that really excellent cognac afterwards. She didn't want Snape getting into trouble for supplying a minor with alcohol!

"Do you really expect us to believe that Snape was actually _considerate, _Talia?" asked a visibly doubting Harry.

"And even so, that still doesn't explain why you smell like alcohol, Talia!" Hermione scowled disapprovingly.

Inwardly, Talia cursed her friend's perceptiveness.

"I had _one_ glass of wine with dinner!" she protested, now lying through her teeth. "And I spilt some on my robes, that's all!"

Hermione peered suspiciously at Talia's black school robe, but it would have been impossible to see if she was telling the truth.

"Well, why didn't you tell us that in the first place, Tal?" asked Wyatt tiredly.

He was used to his cousin's antics, but he had had to suffer everyone else's worrying and arguing for the past few hours. Wyatt was obviously not troubled that Talia had been in Snape's private rooms or that she had been drinking. He'd never hope to control that wild part of her, especially when she was upset. The only part of her story that worried him, was her implication that Snape was a dark wizard, but they couldn't talk about that until Harry and the others had left.

"You guys don't like Snape much," Talia said, turning to face Harry. "Personally I don't think he's that bad. But I didn't tell you about him right away, because I didn't want you nagging me about it," she glared at them pointedly.

She tried to ignore Ron's retching noises at her comment about Snape not being that bad, but Talia's temper started rising. She tried not to take offence at this impromptu interrogation, she really did. She tried to tell herself that her friends were only doing it out of concern, but... what right did they have to question her every action and word the way they just had?! Talia's eyebrows drew together like the gathering clouds of a coming storm. A flicker of flames ignited behind her brown eyes and the air around her seemed to suddenly crackle with her anger's energy.

Wyatt bit his lip worriedly. Please don't let his cousin lose her fragile control over her volatile temper now...!

"Look, I'm trying to be understanding here," Talia growled, mostly at Ron who's fake retching gestures at the very mention of Snape had drawn her anger in the first place, "and I'm sorry if by hanging around with one of our _Professors_, I've insulted your delicate Gryffindor pride, but surely who I talk with and hang around with is my decision and mine alone?" she finished softly and with a menacing quality to her voice that had everyone chilled.

The previously dying fire in the common room fireplace seemed to take new life and rise so high that the flames licked all the way to the very edge of the chimney. Luckily, no one but Wyatt noticed. He placed a hand on Talia's shoulder.

"We didn't mean anything by it, Tal," he said soothingly. "We were just worried about you, and the others just don't trust Snape. Please don't take offence." Perhaps it had something to do with Wyatt's whitelighter half, but the gesture and soft-spoken words worked. Talia calmed down as suddenly as she had become angry. She seemed slightly embarrassed by her lack of control,

The others wisely seemed to sense that the topic was closed for discussion. As one, they realised that pissing off Talia yet again today, was not a good idea, so they decided, reluctantly, to change the subject. The trio, with a joint understanding that only long and close friendship could produce, decided that they'd get back to the Snape issue at some later date.

"Talia, what exactly happened between you and Malfoy this summer?" asked Hermione gently, as if she was some live bomb waiting to go off.

Talia was surprised. She was hoping they'd forgotten about that. She chewed her lip thoughtfully, trying to come up with a story they'd believe.

"Well, what did Wyatt tell you?" she asked carefully, looking at her cousin for support.

"That Malfoy showed up with his father during one of your extra lessons in the summer, and that you discovered that his father was an old friend of the family," answered Ginny helpfully. "Then you two went out for the evening together, and didn't come back 'till early the next morning."

Talia glared at Wyatt. He smiled back at her sheepishly.

"Snape? The Malfoys? You certainly seem to have a lot of family connections around here Talia, for an American witch raised in the Muggle world," observed Harry, scowling at her thoughtfully. "Ow!"

"I'm sorry, Harry," Ginny said sweetly. "Was that your foot? I didn't see it there."

Talia shrugged, trying as hard as she could not to take offence again.

"Our mothers are from an old pure-blooded line," she lied, once again, looking at Wyatt for confirmation. Luckily, he picked it up and nodded. "You know how the pure-blood magical society is. They all know each other."

Hermione frowned thoughtfully. Wyatt and Talia claimed that they were half-bloods. Yet Talia claimed that Snape was an old friend of her _father's_! Wasn't her father a muggle?"

Talia noticed the question in Hermione's eyes.

"This isn't the time, nor the place, to talk about our family, or its history. I promise, one day we'll tell you, but...not now," Talia said tiredly.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny looked at her with mistrust. Her friends of the past couple of weeks were suddenly doubtful of her. And it hurt, damn it! She silently cursed herself for leaving herself open to that eventuality. For Morgana's sake! She'd only known them for a few weeks!

It was Wyatt that came to her rescue.

"We're not the only ones with secrets," he said quietly. "You've got them too, I can tell. But neither Talia nor I have ever asked you what they are. We trust that if you think we need to know, you'll tell us. Our family history doesn't concern you right now," he said gently, "and that should be enough. Please, all we're asking is that you give us the same benefit of the doubt."

By the time Wyatt was finished, Harry, Hermione and Ginny looked properly ashamed. The room was silent for a while. Talia looked at her cousin in admiration. She couldn't possibly have done what he did, even if she'd used the same words. It definitely had something to do with him being half-whitelighter, she decided. Idly she wondered if he was developing a new power. They should remember to tell Leo about it nest time they saw him.

"It doesn't sound like what happened between you and Malfoy in the summer had anything to do with your family history. Can you can tell us about that?" Hermione questioned, trying to make it seem that Talia's reluctance to be straightforward with them, had never happened. She tried to get the conversation moving again.

Talia smiled at her, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"We went out for a few drinks in Hogsmeade."

"Malfoy mentioned something about the _Hogs' Head_ this afternoon," said Harry tentatively.

He cursed himself for his earlier aggressiveness. He should have known better. If anyone knew anything about secrets, it was him. Hadn't he carried the burden of the Prophesy on his shoulders for an entire year, before sharing it with his friends? His mind flew to a dream he had, during the summer. Maybe Talia's family history was why Voldemort was interested in her. Either way, antagonising the brunette would hardly put him in a position to protect her. And Harry _wanted_ to protect her. Voldemort had already claimed too many people. Harry wouldn't let him have her too.

"The _Hogs' Head_?! Talia you didn't!" said Hermione, shocked into forgetting completely Talia's earlier little slip up.

"Did that ferret take you there?" Ron asked, anger evident in his voice. "That's no place for a lady!"

She couldn't help it! It was such a typically Ron thing to say and do! Talia flashed him a dashing smile.

"Why thank you Ron!"

Predictably, he blushed.

"But that's not all, is it?" prodded Hermione.

Talia momentarily cursed her friend's intelligence and perceptiveness.

"We got drunk. Very drunk actually. We got into a fight with some...people, we kicked ass, and we flew back to Hogwarts," she rushed, hoping no one would notice.

"You got drunk?" Ron asked with an admiring grin.

"You got into a fight?" screeched Hermione.

Ginny covered Hermione's mouth with her hand, trying to stop her from waking up the _whole_ of Gryffindor.

"You _flew_ back to Hogwarts _drunk_?" reprimanded Wyatt. "Tal!"

"Well that would explain it," said Harry forcing himself to relax and take part in the conversation. "Malfoy thinks of us Gryffindors as nothing but a bunch of goody-goodies. Just because he's seen a little of the wild Talia," he said smiling at her fondly, "he's dubbed you a Slytherin."

Ron frowned.

"But Tal, you _did _have to threaten the Sorting Hat to put you into Gryffindor."

Harry came to the rescue.

"The Hat nearly put me in Slytherin too, Ron."

"Really?" his head whipped round so quickly, Wyatt was momentarily afraid he'd hurt his neck.

"And me," confessed Hermione.

People turned to look at her.

Hermione rolled her eyes at them.

"Slytherins are ambitious. I'm ambitious," she said slowly so they would understand.

Ron turned to his little sister as if he were expecting her to confess to a similar sin.

"Don't look at me Ron! All the Hat told me was 'Another Weasley?' and then sorted me into Gryffindor."

He sighed in relief.

No one bothered to ask Wyatt. The Hat hadn't even touched his head, before sorting him into Gryffindor.

"The hat considers different houses for each person, Ron," Hermione said. "That's its job. It's where one eventually chooses to end up, whether consciously or unconsciously, that matters."

"And it is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities," Harry said softly, thinking back to when he first heard those words.

The others turned to look at him with admiration.

"Wow, Harry!" Ron exclaimed, "that's deep mate!"

Harry blushed.

"Dumbledore said that to me once."

Talia yawned.

"I'm sorry guys, but I'm exhausted."

She had claimed hours ago that she wouldn't be sleeping tonight, but the Firewhiskey was finally doing its job.

Talia's yawn spread to the people around her. Soon they were all yawning.

"Let's break it up for tonight," suggested Wyatt, getting up from the floor where he had been sitting on.

"Yeah, see you girls tomorrow," Harry said, getting off the large, red, couch.

Ron waved absentmindedly as he followed his friend up to the boys' dormitories. He said something that sounded very much like 'see you tomorrow'.

Of course, it may have been 'life's sorrow'.

But, seeing that it was Ron who said it, it was probably 'see you tomorrow' after all, Talia tiredly decided. She grabbed Wyatt's arm before he managed to follow Ron and Harry up the boys' staircase.

"We need to talk. Tomorrow at early morning practise. Might even need to call Uncle Leo in on this," she hissed quickly.

Solemnly he nodded and they finally both followed the rest of them up to bed.

**A/N: **The next chapter is dedicated to any readers who might be able to tell me where I got this chapter's title from.


	20. Connecting the Dots

**A/N:** You didn't have to wait too long for this chapter, did you?

_Ernie: Is. It. Time. For. Thank. Yous. Yet. Cinammon?_

Take it away Ernie! (Been dying to say that since the POA dvd came out!)

_Ernie: We'd. Like. To. Thank. _**_Ori_**

****

I'm so very glad that I made your day. I'm currently having one of those I-wish-I-stayed-in-bed days myself. I'm kinda hoping I'll have a pile of reviews to read when I go home to cheer me up ::Hint! Hiiiint!:: I love your reviews especially, because you not only always have somehting nice to say, but you also make accurate and insightful contributions too! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

_Ernie: _**_Charming. Star._**

****

Why, thank you Alex! I'm glad Christmas was nice for you, and I'm sorry to hear you're in the middle of exams. Maybe this chapter can be your little break? And don't worry too much about them. They're a necessarily evil as much as I'm concerned. Give them hell, darling!

_Ernie: _**_Charmedsisters._**

****

Hmm, this chapter isn't really all that long, I'm afraid. But in my defence, there wasn't that much to say about and it did come only a week after the previous one. Hope you like it!

_Ernie: _**_Reigning. Devil._**

I'm glad you like it so much. Personally, I think I have a rather unnecessary flair for the dramatic. I don't think it's a particularly wonderful thing to have, but you're all trying to convince me otherwise with your glowing reviews. Thank you.

_Ernie: _**_Capricorn. Lamia._**

****

No, it's not from Fight Club. I did enjoy that movie though. Particularly the twist at the end! And you don't have to feel obligated to review every single chapter. The occasional comment that you enjoy what you read, is enough to keep me going, and more than enough to make my day!

_Ernie: _**_Winter. Blaze._**

****

As you can see, I took your advise. Is this soon enough for you? I know it's not a particularly exciting chapter, but I did do everything I could to keep it from being boring. What do you think?

_Ernie: _**_Asian. Orchid._**

****

I am _so_ sorry I kept you waiting for so long for the previous chapter! I'm glad though that you seem to think it was worth the wait. And what does "PO-ed", mean? Good grief, am I getting old already at the ripe ol' age of 21? I must be, not to recognise computer lingo. Soon I'll be taking off my teeth before I go to bed at night, and walking around campus with a walking stick! And the wrinkles! Oh no! I can't even _think_ of the wrinkles!

_Ernie: _**_Frisbee400._**

****

I have a bit of a bone to pick with you, Miss English teacher! Shouldn't you have told me off for my deplorable use of commas in the previous chapter? I just reread it, and even _I_ was shocked with how crazy I had been with them. Will fix it as soon as possible though, I promise!

As an answer to your observation, I felt that Snape and Talia were more or less natural allies at Hogwarts and it was perfectly believable for them to bond. And I LIVE for shocking people. You're absolutely right, Hermione would have shocked the socks off of Malfoy if she had been sorted in Slytherin. But still, can't you just see her there? As I pointed out in the previous chapter, I _do _think she's pretty ambitious, and, though you could argue that academic ambition is more of a Ravenclaw trait, I'll have to disagree. I also happen to think that she's pretty cunning too, though the fact isn't really advertised in the books. Think about it though. Who was it that came up with the idea of using Polyjuice potion to sneak into the Slytherin dormitories? And need I remind you the how she tricked all the DA members to sign their names on the piece of paper that resulted to Marrietta Edgecombs' rather unusual err... skin condition?

_Ernie: _**_Sveta89._**

I'm glad you agree about the ageless thing. Talia never had a chance to be a child, you see. Even Wyatt, despite the lack of normalcy in his childhood, had that. Only after she abandoned the Underworld, did she get a glimpse at what being a teenager was like. When she looks back at her time as Phoenix, she becomes once again the wise-beyond-her-years Princess that circumstances had forced her to be, but like the teenager she really is, the thing she fears the most, is rejection. And Talia knows that she has a lot more things to be rejected for that most people. It's only natural that she appeared young and nervous at the possibility of that happening.

_Ernie: _**_Harrypotterfan4eva._**

****

I'm glad you liked it. Yes, the pressure and tension is building up, and it will continue to do so until... But I'm not going to tell you what. You were pretty close to getting me to blurt it out though.

_Ernie: _**_Mcgirl._**

****

Continuing... I wouldn't just leave it off like that, you know!

_Ernie: _**_Triquetraperson._**

****

I don't think we know that much about Snape from the books. Not yet anyway. JKR did promise more info. All I know, is that he's a interestingly puzzling person. Neither white, nor black, but certainly in the areas of grey that JKR is so famous for introducing in children's literature. I can't help but wonder what makes him tick, what caused him to turn his back on Voldemort and the Death Eaters and become a spy for Dumbledore. We've never seen him relate to another person, the way I picture him relating to Talia, so we don't really know what he might be like yet. I like to think that my Snape isn't too far from cannon. He still hates Harry's guts, but I haven't showed that have I? Hmm...

_Ernie: _**_Anna._**

****

You line in New Orleans? You lucky cow! What I wouldn't give to switch places with you, and not just for Mardi Gras. I've never been there, but I've read so much about that place that I honestly feel like I have. The birthplace of jazz and blues? One can practically feel the beat in the very name of the place! Voldemort interaction? Now why didn't I think of that? Or did I? ::smiiiiirk!:: You'll just have to wait and see don't you?

_Ernie: _**_Devlin. Rose._**

****

You and me both, darling. Thanks for leeting me know that all was not right with the world and getting me to fix the last update. And that's only one of the reasons why I'm dedicating this chapter to you. The other? You were only one of two people to pick up on the title of the previous chapter. Yes, I took "Cards on the Table" from Agatha Cristie's book – one that I enjoyed very much, I might add. And the title is also an oft used phrase meaning exactly what you've described it to mean. That everything is put out there in the open. Between Talia and Snape at least. You are going to have to wait a bit to see which other person knows and uses Snapes training room. Did you know that you were the only one to pick up on that? As for Cole... you might not have to wait as long as you think you do, to see more of him...

_Ernie: _**_Charmedchick11_**

Am glad you like the story. Don't feel obligated to review every chapter, know however, that your reviews are not only appreaciated, but treasured too! And I'd like to co-dedicate this chapter to you, since along with **Devlin Rose**, you were the only one to figure out that last week's chapter title was from one of Agatha Cristie's books. I hope you did well on your Othello essay. Personally, I much prefer Macbeth and Hamlet.

_Ernie: _**_Nexos23_**

****

Them nosy Gryffindors indeed! I was waiting for something like that to happen, though I assure you, when it did, it had nothing at all to do with me. It was pretty natural for Talia and the trio to clash since they're all-Gryffindor while she's only a Slytherin in Gryffindor robes!

_Ernie: And. Finaly. _**_Virginia._**

****

I'm glad you like! More so, because you bothered to read through the prequel. And I confess, I prefer this story too! Are you a new reviewer by any chance? Keep them coming, darling!

_Ernie: She. Does. Tend. To. Ratte. Off. Doesn't. She?_

Yeah, yeah. You should all know that by now. One last thng and I'll finally let you enjoy the story:

Thank you **Nightcrawler**!!!

..oo00oo..

****

**Chapter 20: Connecting the dots******

"'Morning, sunshine," Talia greeted with a smile while Wyatt stumbled sleepily down the staircase that led to the Gryffindor boys' dormitories.

"How can you be so chipper about it? Thanks to you, we both only had less than three hours of sleep last night!" the blond sixteen-year-old grumbled.

Talia shrugged.

"I'm used to getting little sleep, remember? Now come on, we have a lot to talk about this morning."

Wyatt seemed to wake up a little at those words.

"You're going tell me what happened last night?"

"More than that," Talia said gravely, "but not here. Let's get down to the training room and I'll fill you in. Then we'll call Uncle Leo and fill _him_ in."

She moved towards the portrait exit of the Gryffindor common room and Wyatt followed her.

"You make it sound so serious..." he said worriedly.

Talia didn't answer.

"Feel free to jump in and reassure me any time, Tal," Wyatt prompted.

Talia's face was set in a grim expression that had Wyatt frowning.

"I'm not saying anything 'till we get down there."

Wyatt groaned.

"Damn! I knew this Hogwarts thing was too good to be true..."

..oo00oo..

"You told him _everything_?" Wyatt asked incredulously.

The two cousins were sitting on the purple cushions in the training room, their early morning training session for once forgotten.

"Everything."

"Even the parts about you being the...Source's assassin?"

"Yup."

"Well!" Wyatt said at a loss of words. Even the Charmed Ones had had to learn that little titbit from a third party – namely, a demon from Talia's sordid past who had been out for her blood. "Well!" Wyatt said again. "Are you sure that was wise Talia?" he finally asked cautiously.

"We did talk about telling the Professors before..."

"Well, yeah, but you said it yourself, Snape's got Dark connections. Of all the Professors, he'd be the one I'd have been most worried to tell."

"Snape'll keep everything he learnt last night to himself. And he won't do anything about it either."

Wyatt looked doubtful.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because if he tells people our secret, I'll tell people his."

Talia couldn't help but smirk at the confused expression on her cousin's face.

"What? You didn't think I'd give him something on us, if I didn't get something on him in return, did you?"

The confusion on Wyatt's face cleared and a mischievous smile took its place.

"So what did you get on Snape then?"

..oo00oo..

"Wow!"

"Yeah."

"A spy? That's...kinda cool."

Talia leaned over to hit him at the back of the head.

"Focus, Wyatt! You do realize what this means...?"

Wyatt frowned in confusion once again. Talia rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"Why can't I get a _smart_ sidekick for a change?" she joked.

"Hey! Who says _I_'m _your _sidekick? Why can't you be mine? After all, I'm the Wielder of Excalibur!" he reminded her smugly. "The All-powerful next King Arthur, remember? Be nice to me or I won't let you sit at the Table!"

"You're not of age yet," Talia said dismissively, "and besides, I'm Princess of All Evil. I've got rank."

"You gave that title up when you left the Underworld!" Wyatt protested.

"So why does every demon who tries to kill me call me by it then? Hmm?" she asked with a sufficient amount of smugness herself. Her eyes twinkled before delivering the final blow, "Besides, I'm older."

"Hrmf!" Wyatt sulked.

The playfulness disappeared from her features and she turned serious again.

"Do you want to know what conclusion I've come to or not?"

Wyatt signed in resignation.

"Fine. What conclusion _have_ you come to, Oh Great Princess of All Evil?"

Talia couldn't resist one final smirk before figuratively rolling her sleeves up and getting into the matter at hand.

"We've been sent here to do a lot more than study for our N.E.W.T. exams, Wyatt."

Wyatt sighed again.

"I had a feeling you were going to say that."

"Why else would the Elders provide us with our very own Gringotts vault? We've never been paid before!"

"I hear ya."

"And Dumbledore...I've always thought there was something more than what he was telling us. Do you think it's a complete coincidence that we'd never heard of Voldemort 'til the first day of school, even though he and the war are the only things everyone in the wizarding world talks about these days?"

Wyatt was sceptical.

"But Dumbledore's a good guy."

"So are the Elders, but they've kept plenty of things from us in the past," Wyatt had to concede that she had a point, "and if I'm right, they still do. The wizarding world is at war, Wyatt. A war between Light and Dark magic. And before you ask what that's got to do with us, think for a minute what it _is_ that we and the Charmed Ones have been doing for the past year."

Talia looked at Wyatt meaningfully, willing him with her eyes to understand. Sudden realisation hit Wyatt like a ton of bricks.

"No!" he said, refusing to believe it at first. "They can't possibly want us to get in the middle of this! It's a wizarding matter! Wizarding politics! And a bloody war on top of that!" he said, inadvertedly using Ron's favorite expression. "Not only are we Wiccans, Tal, but we're just kids! Surely if the Elders wanted us to interfere they would have gotten the Charmed Ones involved too!"

But even as he said it, he knew she was right.

"Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny are kids too Wyatt. The DA is entirely comprised of kids. And we've both heard how they all took part in the war against Voldemort in the past! It makes too much sense for it to be a mere coincidence. Hogwarts seems to be right in the middle of this war. Harry's here. Dumbledore's here. Snape the spy is here," she hesitated, "and we are here. There are no other Wiccans here besides us. I just _know_ that it was all Dumbledore's elaborate excuse to get us here." Her voice softened. "It's what I would've done."

Wyatt was distraught. He looked down remorsefully.

"I feel so stupid. I thought we'd have a break from all that stuff for a while. I can't believe I didn't see it before, Tal."

She laid a comforting hand on his arm.

"It's ok Wyatt. I didn't want to see it either. We were both too busy being regular kids for once. Well," she amended, "regular kids in the wizarding world anyway."

Wyatt smiled sadly.

"So, Harry and his friends are our innocents. And that's why Dumbledore brought us in," he recapped.

Talia scrunched her face in thought.

"It's not just Harry and his friends, I don't think," her voice took on a sad quality, "There's a lot of kids in this school; kids that are soon going to be fighting on either one side of this war, or the other. I think Dumbledore wants us to keep an eye on all of them, perhaps influence them to fight for the Light instead of Voldemort."

"Like that's going to be a piece of cake," Wyatt said, staring at the floor and picking on a loose thread on one of the pillows. For once, his words were dripping with bitter irony.

Talia winced. She slung a friendly arm around her younger cousin's shoulder.

"Don't be like that Wyatt. If anyone can do this, we can."

The blond boy smiled wryly.

"I know, Tal. And I don't want to sound selfish or anything, but I was just really having fun feeling normal for a change. You know, no demon attacks, no dashing off to fight warlocks, no making flimsy excuses to my friends... And now I find out that we have to keep secrets all over again," he sighed, "I'll do it, but I don't have to like it."

"Yeah, I know," Talia said sadly, "I feel the same way. But we are who we are, little cousin, and with great power comes great responsibility." She inserted a little bit of cheerfulness in her voice for his sake. "We'll help the wizards kick Voldie's ass, but that doesn't mean we can't have some fun while we're here. After all, where else are we ever going to get to fly on a broomstick?"

Wyatt smiled.

"We need to call Uncle Leo and tell him what we've found out, but it might be best if we don't mention Snape. It'll just worry everyone back home if they think we're consorting with Dark wizards."

"But Talia, _you're _a dark witch."

"So? What's your point?"

..oo00oo..

"I was afraid the other Elders had an ulterior motive for sending you here," Leo sighed in resignation.

"You mean you knew about this?" asked Wyatt incredulously, feeling betrayed.

Leo noticed his son's reaction with alarm. He shook his head emphatically.

"No, I didn't know about this! I wasn't told anything other than it might be a good idea for you guys to come here, in order to get the demons off your tails. I swear, Wyatt, I had no idea!" his eyes pleaded his son to believe him. "I just had my suspicions, that's all. And even then, only after the other Elders told me about the Gringotts vault."

The two cousins shared a look as they let Leo sweat it out for a while. Talia was _such_ a bad influence, Wyatt decided.

"We believe you, Uncle Leo," Talia reassured him, the manipulative little minx! Wyatt nodded in agreement with a grin at their antics.

"Good," Leo said with a relieved smile on his face. "So, what are you planning to do about all this?"

Talia looked at Wyatt. Wyatt shrugged.

"Keep our eyes open, I suppose," Talia said.

"It's the only thing we _can_ do, Dad. We'll try and get as much information on the war and which side everyone is on, but other than that..." Wyatt shrugged again helplessly.

"Right," Leo said tiredly, "so I guess the big question is, who's going to tell your mothers?"

Talia and Wyatt just stared at him.

"There's times when I really hate this job!" Leo groaned, before orbing out.

..oo00oo..

Cole reached his private quarters with a relief he never usually allowed his features to show.

It had been a long, long day in the Underworld... And it was so difficult to get good help these days. He thanked the scorching flames of hell for Xander, but boy did he miss Talia! The three of them had formed the Underworld's very own unholy triad once, and had held the Evil world in the very palm of their collective hands! He still remained in complete and absolute control of course, but it seemed to take double the amount of work nowadays. And the days themselves were all such drags! The fun sapped completely out of them! He missed his daughter's secret smiles, caught only by him, as she stood by his side and listened to the ludicrous excuses his minions came up with to escape his wrath at times of failure. He missed her sarcastic comments, and the way she managed to reduce grown men ten times her age into whimpering bundles at his feet. He missed the fire in her eyes and the strength in her very stance. He missed _her_.

Cole sighed in resignation and turned the handle of the door that would lead to his private quarters and another night of restless sleep.

"Hello, Father."

The Source's face betrayed no surprise. He was too well trained for that.

"I knew that lowering the wards to allow you to flame directly in here was a mistake," he deadpanned.

But Cole's eyes hungrily raked over her beloved face and a smile tugged at his lips as he watched her sitting in what had always been her favourite chair, feet dangling off the sidearm as they had always done during their most serious conversations. She wore her leather trousers and boots under the black robes of Hogwarts, he noted, the little remnants of the Underworld she would always carry with her, but the red and gold Gryffindor crest glittered in the dim light as if to mock him.

"It's too dangerous for you to come down here," Cole said sternly.

Talia chose to deliberately misunderstand him. She raised an amused eyebrow at him.

"Would you rather I fight my way to the Great Hall of All Evil to see you? After what happened last time I would have thought that you'd be against that. That _is_ why you lowered the wards to allow me to flame in here in the first place, isn't it?"

Talia lifted herself off the black leather armchair and walked up to her father with a catlike grace. Gently, she kissed him on the cheek.

"It's good to see you too, Father."

Cole's eyes softened and he inwardly cursed himself. He was such a pushover when it came to her!

He sighed in resignation.

"What are you doing here, Talia?"

"I need to know more about Lord Voldemort and the war the wizarding world is in."

Cole groaned in exasperation.

"I thought I told you to try not to get involved Talia!"

"I haven't yet!" she protested, "but I might not have a choice in the future," she added softly. "Anything you tell me can only help."

Cole sunk gracefully in one of the leather arm chairs and thought carefully before answering.

"Well, if you think it'll help...

"Pour us some drinks, would you, Talia?" he said distractedly, unconsciously reverting to one of their old routines as he carefully considered what to tell her.

Hiding a smile, Talia obediently moved behind the Source's amply supplied bar. She poured two stiff brandies from a crystal decanter for the two of them.

"Lord Voldemort was around for a while when I came back to the Underworld, but by the time I regained the throne, he was gone," he looked at her over the bar enquiringly, "I presume you know about his little mishap sixteen years ago...?"

Talia nodded, she handed her father his drink and took her favourite seat across from him.

"I was too busy climbing the Underworld hierarchy in record time to really pay attention to him then. All I knew was that he was some powerful evil wizard with aspirations of taking over wizarding Britain, but he was defeated by a mere child before he really managed to do anything about it. He was out of the picture, so I paid him no mind.

"But nearly three years ago, Lord Voldemort came back. There's not much I can tell you about that, only that it involved some kind of powerful dark magic ritual and the boy that had originally defeated him."

Talia nodded again.

"The first year of his return, he kept pretty low. Didn't bother mingling with the Underworld much. I suppose he had to get his old support system in the wizarding world up and running again, before doing anything else. The second year of his return, he made a full-fledged appearance and took his old place back as the number one menace in the wizarding world.

"Xander insisted that we keep a close eye on him and he was right.

"This Lord Voldemort of yours is good at what he does. If he ever manages to defeat the forces of the Light in Britain and reign unchallenged there, the rest of the wizarding communities won't dare oppose him. After all, Britain is recognisably the largest wizarding community out there." He hesitated before laying the last titbit of information on her, "Talia, Voldemort might very well end up as supreme ruler of the entire wizarding world."

Silence fell in the large sitting room as they both considered what those last words really meant. Cole sipped his drink as he watched his daughter thinking.

"If Lord Voldemort took over the wizarding world...I guess it'd be good for the Underworld in general, Evil wins over Good and all that... but I don't suppose it'd be too good for the Source," Talia concluded looking up at him to gauze his reaction.

Cole nodded in approval.

"It would make him too powerful. He would be the first real threat to my throne since I took over. More of a threat than Perdicus ever was, despite all the trouble he caused us. Xander is worried. Voldemort's already started making allies in the Underworld, networking, and there's not much we can do about it. Don't get me wrong, he's not nearly strong enough to defeat me – not one on one anyway, like all wizards he has to depend on that wand of his too much – and I've got my own allies, which far outnumber his, but he _is _a _potential_ threat. That's how powerful he is.

"The truth is, even if he does take over the wizarding world, it is more than likely that all he'll end up being is another Council member, but I'd rather be cautious than sorry, and I don't particularly want to see him take over the wizarding world. Hogwarts' headmaster, Dumbledore, and that boy who defeated him the first time round – what's his name? I can never remember it..."

"Harry Potter," Talia supplied helpfully.

"Yes, Harry Potter, that's it. Anyway, they're apparently the only ones that can stop him from taking over, and I can hardly intervene with that. What would the rest of the Underworld say?" He took another sip from his glass. "Are you in contact with them – Potter and Dumbledore?"

"I'm in the same house as Harry Potter and I'm on friendly enough terms with both him and Dumbledore," Talia said thoughtfully, "but neither of them has confided anything to either me or Wyatt about the inner workings of the war."

Cole swirled the liquid elegantly in its crystal glass as he thought.

"As far as I know, Voldemort has no idea that the Princess of All Evil is at Hogwarts. I'd much rather he didn't find out, Talia."

Talia nodded in understanding.

"I'll stay low for as long as I can, Father, but I don't know how much longer that might be."

He nodded, understanding.

"Just be careful Talia. Lord Voldemort doesn't joke around and I hear he's got a lot of Dark wizards to do his bidding for him."

Talia finished her drink.

"I'll be careful, I promise," she put her glass down on the onyx table next to her chair. "Thank you, Father," she said, before leaning in to kiss him again on the cheek.

And with one last look, she flamed out of the Underworld, leaving the Source with a wistful look on his face behind her.


	21. Breakfast Table Flirting

Smiles sheepishlyHello everyone! It's been a while.

_Ernie: Absolutely. Ages. Cinammon!_

I know, Ernie, I know. But in all fairness, I was dealing with some pretty heavy duty stuff throughout this entire time. Grieving actually. A couple of days after I posted my previous chapter, a good friend of mine took his own life in an act that was both misguided and a complete and total waste of incredible potential. I won't lie and say that he was the most wonderful of human beings – he wasn't – but he _was_ incredibly smart. One of the smartest people I've ever known, and one of the smartest people I'm _ever_ _likely_ to know. He was witty, eloquent and he died at twenty one. He could've done a lot with the rest of his life. We used to talk philosophy. Usually in the early hours of the morning, when neither of us could sleep. He tried talking about economic theory and mathematics a couple of times, but even though I'm not bad at either, I could never keep up, so philosophy had to do. Machiavelli, Dante, Bentham, no one was safe. He left me a goodbye letter quoting them and a bunch of other famous dead people. It wasn't a very dramatic letter. It was actually rather funny, though I obviously couldn't see it for a while. He did, after all, attempt (impressively, if I might add) to disprove Einstein's theory of relativity, in order to supposedly show me that he was in a completely rational state of mind at the time. It was a letter typical of him and it helped me understand why he did what he did, which I guess was its aim. I still don't agree with it mind you. Taking your own life is never the answer or the right thing to do. I'll miss him, but life goes on.

And, as insignificant as it sounds in the greatest scheme of things, so does fanfiction. I enjoy writing it, and I certainly am not planning on stopping any time soon. It might in fact surprise you to know, that the end of this fic, is already written up. Still, I'm sorry I've kept you all waiting so long for update. I only told you everything above, because you deserved to know why.

I want to thank everyone for all their support and their lovely reviews. I can't believe you guys stuck with me for this long!

_Ernie: Thanks. Go. To. **Anna**._

You little minx! You like Cole, do you? I'm afraid you won't be seeing much of him, but I couldn't resist either? How's Mardi Gras treating you?

_Ernie: **ChramingStar**_

Oops! Did the withdrawal symptoms kick in? I'm sorry! And I'm sorry about your physics exam. I was pretty decent in school, but that's one subject I never really got the hang of. Did a bit of mechanics for a while and was curious enough to look up a couple of theories, but that's about it. Never mind, we can't all be Einsteins or Newtons! Why would we want to anyway, considering the hair?

_Ernie:** Mcgirl**_

I love Cole to bits, but I'm afraid there won't be much of him in this story. I miss him occasionally though, and decide to pay him a visit. I didn't really intend to have Talia visit him in the last chapter, but she insisted. She missed him too.

_Ernie: **CharmedSisters**_

I'm glad. Stick with me, and I'll try and give you one hell of a ride!

_Ernie: **HarryPotterfan4eva**_

Voldemort... will make an appearance soon. I really can't say much more than that, but it will be very exciting, I promise.

_Ernie: The. Very. Sweet. _**_Virginia_**

You've got some very good points in that last review of yours... I can't promise more Cole/Phoebe, I'm afraid, but if it's more Talia/Draco interaction you want, read this chapter!

_Ernie: The. Very. Lucky. **Asian.**** Orchid**_

I'm sorry I let you down on the speed of this update. And I'm honoured and fluttered by your comment on my characterisation! For all my rather pragmatic and very scientific degree, I've always been a dreamer (duh!) and I see everything in my head like a movie, long before I put pen to paper (or, you know, fingers to keyboard). I hope you keep enjoying the story!

_Ernie: **Winter. Blaze**_

Ah, old friend! You've been with me from the very beginning. I don't know what I would have done without you continuous encouragement. Thank you!

_Ernie: **Ori**_

Hihi! You'll never know exactly how right you occasionally are! No one tempts me to reveal all, quite like you do. And although part of me really wants to snigger behind my hand and chant "I know something you don't know..." you really do keep me on my toes! And I was very proud of the way the Cole/Talia scene turned out in the last chapter. Keep reading...

_Ernie: **Charmed148**_

Talia and Wyatt will eventually tell Harry and the others who they are, but neither they, nor I, are quite ready for that yet. Where would the fun be in that? Glad you like the story!

_Ernie: **CT Malone**_

I'm afraid you're not going to see the Charmed Ones reactions to what Leo tells them. They're off screen, so to speak. I thought the story was already going a little to slow for my taste. But I think you'll find that after this chapter, things will get a little more exciting for our friends at Hogwarts... As for Talia/Harry, well, you'll just have to stick with me for this.

_Ernie: **Sveta89**_

I'm glad you liked it. I hope you like this one just as much!

_Ernie: **Nexos23**_

The last chapter was really a filler chapter, but I really wanted to make it interesting. I'm happy to hear I got a chuckle out of you with Talia's and Wyatt's little chat. The Cole bit was there because _I_ was wondering what Cole's take on the Wizarding war was too! That, and I missed the sexy, tortured, yet deliciously Evil, Ruler of the Underworld.

_Ernie: **Devlin. Rose**._

I'm afraid you'll only get one of the two things you wanted in this chapter. You'll have to wait for next chapter to get the other one. smirks Draco's in this one. Action's up next.

_Ernie: The. Err... Very. Creative. **Bob-the-Bear**_

I really wasn't going to dedicate this chapter to anyone, but I really can't help myself, so this one's for you! I can't believe you made up a poem (or is it cheer?) for my story! And it rhymes too... I love it! You and your purple pompoms are bloody brilliant!

_Ernie: **Reigning Devil**_

I'm glad you liked it! Now tell me what you think of this one!

_Ernie:** Frisbee400**_

Ah, my sneaky English teacher friend... Your review made me laugh. Should I take it as a threat, or a warning? smirkWhy do I have a feeling that you'd make a good Slytherin? You're going to have to wait a bit more before you see some action, but hold your horses, it's coming, I promise!

_Ernie: __And.__ Last. But. Not. Least. Thank. You. **Chorin**_

Hmm, new reviewer? Oh, I'll definitely finish this story, it just might take me a while, that's all. Thanks for reading! Hope you stay with me for the rest of it...

**0**

**Public Announcement:**

(ie. Shameless plugging)

If you all want to see more of Talia and Wyatt, check out **CT Malone**'s fic! It consists of a number of crossovers including, but not limited to, Harry Potter, Charmed, and the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen! He only just started it, but I have it on good authority that our two favourite cousins will soon make a full fledged appearance.

**0**

I only wish, I had a longer or more exciting chapter for you after such an absence, but the incredible **Nightcrawler** convinced me that this one would do. Please review!

**0**

**Chapter 21: Breakfast Table Flirting**

"Morning," greeted Ron, dumping himself unceremoniously on a seat at the breakfast table.

Harry behind him seemed slightly more awake.

"Morning."

Hermione and Ginny greeted the boys with less enthusiasm than had been expected. Their attentions seemed to be focused at the Hufflepuff table.

"What are you guys looking at?" asked Harry even as he followed their line of vision. He nearly fell off his seat at what he saw.

Ron too had turned to see what it was that had claimed his friends' attentions. He suddenly felt very much awake.

"Is that _Talia_?" he asked unnecessarily.

Talia was perched on the lap of Dan Claythorn, captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team. Her long legs were crossed in his lap, a hand was wound around his neck, while his arms were securely fastened around her waist keeping her in place. She was smiling at him and talking. Whatever it was that she was talking about, seemed to be amusing the entire Hufflepuff table, if the frequent explosions of laughter were anything to go by. Dan Claythorn, for one, seemed to be having the time of his life. She caught her friends from the Gryffindor table watching and waved cheerfully. Then turning her attention back to Dan, she gave him a searing kiss in front of the entire Hall. There were catcalls and whistles, but Talia and Dan seemed not to be paying them any mind as they literally devoured each other for well over a minute.

"Can she _do_ that?" asked Ron incredulously.

Harry shrugged. Talia was definitely a wild woman! Hadn't Wyatt warned them?

"I think the Professors are too shocked to react," commented Hermione in disbelief, looking over at the Professors' table.

Professor McGonagall was definitely scowling. Professor Snape seemed to be choking and it was all Madam Hooch could do to hit him on the back, trying to get him to breathe again. Professor Sprout blanched at the display over at the Hufflepuff table and Professor Flitwick was patting her hand kindly, obviously trying to be sympathetic. Professor Sinistra was openly grinning while Professor Lupin was clearly trying not to laugh. Dumbledore did nothing, but his eyes twinkled with gusto.

**0**

Over at the Slytherin table, Draco Malfoy was gripping his pumpkin juice goblet tightly. Had the goblet been made of glass, it would've shattered under the pressure long ago. The blond Slytherin had his eyes narrowed and was glaring angrily at Talia's performance.

"Look at that Gryffindor slut!" Pansy exclaimed next to him. "Who does she think she is, flaunting herself like that!"

"Shut up Pansy," Draco growled, and the blonde witch next to him for once did not dare do anything other than what she was told.

**0**

Having finished her business over at the Hufflepuff table, Talia got off Dan's lap and sashayed over to the Gryffindors looking like the proverbial cat that ate the cream. Behind her, Dan was receiving congratulatory pats on the back from his male friends. The pretty brunette was apparently considered quite the catch!

No one noticed the surreptitious glance Talia threw towards the Slytherin table.

**0**

"Good morning," she said cheerfully, sitting herself next to Ron, who couldn't hide his sudden admiration for her.

"That was...quite a display back there," commented Harry weakly.

"Was it?" Talia asked, buttering her toast, feigning innocence. But a mischievous glint in her eyes gave her away.

Seamus whistled appreciatively.

"Way to go, Talia!" Dean enthused.

"I knew it wouldn't be long 'til you were back up to your old tricks, Tal," said an exasperated Wyatt who seemed to have just arrived at the Gryffindor table along with Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan. The blond Wiccan sunk himself in the seat next to his cousin's. "Couldn't you wait a little longer before you started making your way through the Hogwarts male population? I happen to like some of these guys!"

Talia chuckled.

"Relax, little cousin," she ruffled his blond hair playfully, until he swatted her hand away.

"I really don't think that was necessary, Talia," Hermione felt the need to say when she finally found her voice. She looked terribly uncomfortable.

"It wasn't _necessary_," agreed Talia cheekily, "but it _was_ fun!" She took another bite out of her toast.

Hermione frowned. With growing apprehension, Talia felt a lecture coming on. She hadn't had more than a couple of lectures from Hermione directed at her, but already they had been enough. She put her half-eaten toast down on her plate. Unlike Ron, and even Harry sometimes, she knew exactly how to cut them short before they'd even started.

"I'm sorry. You're right, Hermione," she rushed, hanging her head in sudden shame, "I shouldn't have done what I did in front of everyone, but I...couldn't resist," she blushed for good measure. Wyatt watched fascinated. Talia _never_ blushed. "I hadn't exactly planned the whole thing you know, it just, happened," she breathed and added an uncharacteristically shy smile, "I really like Dan."

Talia said all this looking so appropriately sheepish that Hermione bought it hook, line and sinker! Wyatt had to choke back yet another sigh of exasperation. _And the Oscar goes to…_ The little minx! How did she do that! Hermione's eyes softened and she smiled kindly at the witch with the puppy dog eyes.

"Just be a bit more careful next time, Tal. Trust me; you don't want to give any more to the Hogwarts rumour mill than you absolutely must."

Talia threw Hermione a genuine smile, glad that the other girl wasn't mad at her and continued on with her breakfast.

"Damn, that girl is good!" whispered Seamus to Dean.

Dean nodded.

"So you and Dan are a couple now?" asked Ginny grinning.

Talia nodded, her eyes sparkling.

"He asked me out last night and I said yes."

Wyatt rolled his eyes.

"I give him a week," he said to Dean and Seamus, "Ten days, tops!"

Harry thought about what Talia had just said and frowned.

"But you spent all last evening in the Gryffindor common room with us."

Talia smiled looking sheepish again.

"I couldn't sleep, so I decided to go for a little walk before trying again."

"Past curfew?" asked Hermione scandalised for the second time that morning.

"Oh come on, Mione. I seem to recall that you've been out a few times past curfew yourself..." said Ron, and Harry had to stifle his laughter in his tea mug.

Hermione blushed.

"Sounds like a good story..." Talia said curiously.

"Oh, no, you're not getting off that easily, Talia Turner!" Lavender Brown said, squeezing herself in at the Gryffindor table on the other side of Harry, trying to get some major gossip on that morning's main event.

Parvati Patil eagerly followed, seating herself next to her best friend, nearly pushing poor Harry off the edge.

"We want all the details!" she squealed.

Talia laughed at the two of them.

"There's no story," she assured them. "Dan's a prefect. He found me wandering, but instead of taking points and making me get back to my room, we just kind of stood and talked for a while. Then he confessed he had a crush on me since the Sorting and asked me out. That's all!"

"That's _so _romantic!" Lavender gushed.

Talia raised a single eyebrow in amusement. She shared a look with Hermione and Hermione rolled her eyes at their roommates. Talia grinned at their unspoken communication. It seemed that her transgressions really were forgiven!

"He's cute!" Ginny gushed.

She didn't notice the two boys sitting across from her scowling at her comment.

"What do you mean he's cute?" Ron asked.

"I don't think he's _that_ cute!" Harry added.

"Oh, what do _you_ know?" Hermione huffed, defending her friend's new boyfriend. "There's no denying that Dan Claythorn is _very_ good looking!"

Ron spluttered.

"Hermione! **_You_** think he's," Ron's face scrunched up in a grimace of sheer distaste, "_cute_?"

Hermione bristled.

"Oh-oh," said Harry and Ginny simultaneously, then shared a look when they realised that they had spoken at the same time.

"I _am_ a girl, Ronald Weasley, _if_ you haven't noticed!" hissed Hermione. There were already two angry blotches of red on her cheeks, a sure sign of trouble that anyone else but Ronald Weasley would've heeded. "And I have every right to find boys attractive."

"Blimey! That's not what I meant Hermione!" Ron tried to explain. He was blushing furiously. "It's just that...you're the only girl I know who never bothers with stuff like that. Well, except Vicki in fourth year."

Hermione, for once, chose to ignore the Vicki comment.

"Just because I don't talk to _you_ about boys, doesn't mean I don't notice them. I happen to have noticed quite a few boys here at Hogwarts, and I'll have you know," she sniffed, "some of them have noticed me back!"

Talia looked on in amusement, but the rest of the Gryffindor table visibly winced at the yelling match they knew was coming.

"Like who?" asked Ron incredulously, jumping up from his seat.

Hermione's eyes flashed.

"What? You don't think I'm good enough to be noticed?"

"Are you saying that boys have _actually_ asked you out?" Ron asked incredulously.

Even Talia winced at that one. How thick could Ron get?

"Honestly, Ron, with friends like you, it's a wonder how I've managed to maintain some semblance of confidence in myself," Hermione huffed haughtily.

"Who?" Ron tactlessly demanded. "Who asked you out?"

"Boys with taste," she spat back, trying to hold on to her dignity, "boys with more than the emotional range of a teaspoon!"

Ginny had had enough of her brother. She decided to intervene.

"Loads of boys, Ron...Ernie McMillan from Hufflepuff, Robert Simmons from Ravenclaw..."

"And don't forget Mark Leroute - also from Ravenclaw," added Harry helpfully.

Ginny looked at him in surprise. Harry never got involved in Ron and Hermione's fights, but it appeared that he too had had enough of their bickering.

"_You knew about this Harry?_!" asked Ron, shocked, a betrayed look seemingly firmly lodged on his face.

Harry shrugged nonchalantly, but there was a strange glimmer in his eye. Ginny noticed and couldn't help but grin behind her pumpkin juice goblet.

"Everyone knows. It's common knowledge," the boy-who-lived-to-torment answered.

Ron seemed to be in shock.

"Everyone but _me_ that is!" he said, turning to Hermione angrily. "I thought _I _was one of your best friends!" he said accusingly.

Hermione's eyes widened. She hadn't thought her love life was common knowledge at all! And, what's more, none of it had really been a big deal! She had gone out to Hogsmeade twice with Ernie, before they decided to just remain friends. She had said no to Mark and had a single horrific 'date' with Robert.

Hermione winced at the memory. Robert had kept his plans for their date a surprise, and in the end he had taken her flying on his broom. It would have been romantic...if Hermione didn't hate flying! As a result of his fancy flying, she had screamed and squealed until her throat was hoarse. For some bizarre reason Hermione couldn't understand, he seemed to think that that meant she was enjoying it, and had taken her screaming as encouragement to try some even more death-defying stunts. When he asked if he could see her again, she had very politely refused, left, ran to the bathroom, and promptly thrown up. Hermione was hardly one of the most popular girls at Hogwarts, but Harry's and Ginny's words made it seem as if guys were after her all the time! She looked at the Ron in complete confusion.

While Ron and Hermione were focused on each other, Ron looking at Hermione in disbelief, Harry winked at the rest of the Gryffindor table. It was unexpected, but the answering grins left, right, and centre, told him that many had understood exactly what he was going for and were right behind him all the way. The Gryffindors, it seemed, had had enough of Ron and Hermione's bickering over the years.

"She didn't tell you, Ron, because she knew you were going to react like this," said Ginny, in Hermione's defence.

"Hermione _is_ a very pretty girl, Ron," added Talia, picking up on what Harry intended. "Why shouldn't she have hoards of boys after her?"

Hermione blushed an even deeper shade of red. _Hoards?_She cursed her light complexion. The way she was going, she would soon match Ron in colour!

Ron opened and closed his mouth repeatedly doing a perfect imitation of a fish.

"Hermione's not just pretty," added Seamus, smiling at the curly-haired witch, "she's kind, and she's smart..."

"Funny, brave," Dean continued.

"What's not to like?" even Neville managed to pitch in.

Hermione's blush deepened even further. Her complexion was now indeed worryingly close to Ron's. Or it would've been if his blush hadn't deepened too with every comment. He was very close to purple now. It clashed horribly with his orange hair.

"I mean, seriously, think about it Ron," added Lavender, "the question isn't why would a guy want to go out with Hermione, but why _wouldn't_ a guy want to go out with her?"

"That's not what I meant!" managed Ron in a strangled sort of voice.

"And as for her not telling you, mate," added Harry, "maybe she thought you already knew. Not that it's really any of your business, but you are, as you pointed out, one of her best friends. She never told me as such, but I do occasionally pay attention to what my friends are doing..."

Ron was gob-smacked. Even Harry seemed to have turned against him! There was absolutely nothing he could say to all that. All he could do was stare at a blushing Hermione as if he were seeing her for the first time.

The rest of the people at the Gryffindor table were desperately hiding smiles, guffaws and giggles behind mugs, cups, goblets and various pieces of toast. It was about time someone gave those two a push! After all, their constant, _screaming_ fights had long ago escalated from annoying to downright headache-inducing torture! It had taken them seven years, but their friends at Gryffindor had finally fought back.

Talia flashed a smile of approval at Harry who was looking at his two furiously blushing friends with a very Slytherin, self-satisfied smirk.

**0**

Draco Malfoy was in the library.

The Gryffindors might have gasped in surprise at the revelation, but Draco cared about his grades. A Malfoy, by tradition, excelled in everything – or so his father had told him. And thus, it galled the both of them to no end to know that Hermione Granger, a common muggleborn witch, was first in the class! Admittedly, Draco was hardly as hard working as that Granger bint was, but it was galling nonetheless. He scowled at the thought. For seven years now he had had to settle for second best and though he beat every single Ravenclaw to do it – to the eternal shame of that House – it wasn't enough!

What's more, what with more than half the school joining the DA, Draco had to work doubly hard to maintain his second position behind Potter in Defence Against the Dark Arts. He growled in frustration at that thought. He might have let Granger beat him in most other subjects, but he was mightily proud of the fact that he (and Potter) had forced her to settle for third place in one of Draco's favourite subjects. DA or no DA, he wasn't going to relinquish his hard-earned second place without a fight.

"I don't think that's very healthy, Draco," sounded an amused voice directly behind him.

Draco recognised the voice. He didn't turn around. He became very, very still. Tense; ready for the fight he knew was coming. The spectacle she had made of herself and that...that _Hufflepuff_...during breakfast, was still too fresh in his mind for this discussion to have any other conclusion.

"What is?" he asked angrily.

"Growling to yourself."

"What's it to you, Turner?"

Though Draco couldn't see her, Talia lifted an amused left eyebrow.

"What happened to Talia? Are we reverting to surnames?"

"You care?" he retorted, finally turning round to face her.

"Yes," she replied softly. "You and I are as far from referring to each other by surname as you can get. You can call me Turner if you want, but I'm going to keep calling you Draco."

All anger left Draco's countenance and he suddenly looked tired; unnaturally tired for someone of his young age. Talia recognised the look. It was one she had often seen in her own mirror.

"What do you want, Talia?"

"I...um...saw you and came to say hi?"

Draco narrowed his eyes at her, obviously not believing her.

Talia sighed.

"You and I left things off pretty badly the other day at the quidditch pitch. I'm not here to apologise mind you. I still think you were way out of line with that comment about Hermione. But...I'd still like us to be friends," she concluded softly.

Draco scoffed.

"You and I, _Turner,_ were never friends to begin with."

"We could be," she retorted. "I'd like us to be," she finally admitted when he said nothing.

He was taken aback. A blank mask came to rest over his features to hide the fact. He was good, Talia thought to herself. She had almost missed it. The blond Slytherin suddenly sneered and made a good recovery.

"Slytherins don't have friends...especially ones in Gryffindor."

Talia smiled smugly.

"There's a first time for everything. And I'm used to setting precedents."

"Potty and his little friends will hate you for it."

"Don't call Harry that," she said mildly, "and I'm willing to risk it."

"I'll call him whatever I want. Potty, Potty, Potty," Draco stubbornly snarled.

Talia's smile widened at Draco's display.

"Now you're just being childish. Look, if you're that worried about what people will think, we can keep it secret."

Draco said nothing for a while, looking at her pensively.

"Why?" he asked simply. Deep in his steel grey eyes Talia noticed a glimmer of suspicion.

Talia's countenance faltered and she seemed unsure for the first time since Draco had known her.

"What you said that day on the Quidditch pitch...about knowing who I am..." she sighed in defeat, "you don't. Not really. But that day in the summer, and the night in the Hog's Head...you saw a side of me that none of my other friends will likely ever see. Will likely ever accept if they _did_ see," she added sadly. She lifted her eyes to look at him. "You were right, Draco. Is this what you wanted to hear? My robes may say Gryffindor, but there's a large part of me that _is _Slytherin. And it needs Slytherin contact to survive."

Draco couldn't resist a smug smirk at the realisation.

"The Gryffindors bore you to death."

Talia glared daggers at him.

"No!"

"Yes," he countered calmly; knowingly.

"You can't be good on will alone, Talia. There's darkness inside you. Something wild and dangerous that Potty and his fun club could never hope to understand," he took a step forward, and she took a step back. "I saw it that night at the Hog's Head. And I saw a glimpse of it out at the Quidditch pitch the other day," again he advanced, again she retreated. "I know why you came to me, Talia...because I'm the only person in this entire school that can understand that, that can understand _you_...quite possibly because you and I share those qualities. The only difference between you and me," he breathed as he neared her, "is that I've accepted that about myself. I've embraced it. I'm not ashamed of it, and I don't try to turn myself into something I'm not," he finished nastily.

Throughout his speech he'd backed her up against one of the shelves. The protruding wood was digging painfully into her back. His words had hit close to home, but Talia wasn't going to let him win.

"And this is where you're wrong, Draco," she hissed, raising her face to look up at him with fire in her eyes. "You claim to understand me, but, Draco Malfoy, I understand you too!" she declared. "And there's a lot more than darkness in you, just like there is a lot more than darkness in me. And it's _that _part of you that _you _refuse to acknowledge in yourself. You've got so much potential, Draco, and you don't even see it! You let your father and others like him, blind you to it; mold you into one of them! Being Slytherin doesn't necessarily mean one is evil. Cunning, ambition, those are grey qualities. They only become really dark if you let them."

She had caught him off guard again, but, once again, he had recovered quickly.

"Do you think I need saving, Talia? Is that it?" he drawled. "How unoriginal! I'm disappointed. Half of the girls in this school think I need saving. An awfully handy misconception for getting them in the sack, let me tell you," he leered, "but not much good for anything else. I don't need saving Turner, so don't trouble yourself. Go back to your Gryffindor friends. You're not needed here."

He turned to leave but Talia's hollow laughter stopped him in his tracks. There wasn't a trace of mirth in it. Draco turned back to look at her cautiously. He waited, clearly disturbed, until she got a hold of herself.

"Save you? Is this really what you thought this conversation was about, Draco? Perhaps I've overestimated you. You're the only judge of whether you need saving or not. And you are the only one qualified enough to save yourself. Trust me on this," she sobered up completely.

"No, Draco, what I'm offering here is a symbiosis of sorts. We're in the middle of a war, and the world is going crazy around us. My friends, your friends, it's all everyone talks about. I just want to occasionally hang out with someone and forget about it all. Have a little fun in this place where every one talks about impending death and mayhem. I wanna make illicit visits to Hogsmeade, get into fights with vampires, and get drunk! I wanna wear leather, and roam the Forbidden forest, and break the rules, and be free from what everyone expects from me! Don't you? _I_ thought you did, and _that's_ why I came to you."

Draco for once was speechless. Her eyes shone with something he couldn't identify...rebellion, perhaps.

"So...all this talk about darkness and potential, about Gryffindor and Slytherin, and all you're looking for is a partner in crime? Is that it?" he asked in disbelief.

"I told you, Draco," she said in a tired voice, but wanting him to understand, "I'm looking for a _friend_...a _Slytherin_ friend, someone who won't be so quick to judge; to see the black and white to the exclusion of grays. I want clever conversation with no moral barriers and, yes, I want to have fun. I _know_ you are that person, Draco, and I feel lucky to have found you in this place. You and I being friends...you _know_ it makes sense. You feel the connection between us, don't you? I want to get to know you better. And I want to hang out. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but most people interpret that as friendship...or an attempt at one. Are you up for that?"

Draco observed her for a long time. She let her eyes meet his, unguarded.

She was tired, so tired. Everyone had an agenda...the Elders, Dumbledore, Harry and his friends, her father...not that that had been much of a surprise. He wouldn't be the Ruler of the Underworld if he didn't always have an agenda. But even Leo and Wyatt had their expectations of her and she felt them weigh heavily on her shoulders. She didn't blame any of them. They were only acting out their roles in this. And she knew what her role should be. She had a war to fight; a war that should have had nothing to do with her. She needed Draco to keep her sane in the following months. To help her preserve what made her, her! And if in the process she could stop him from selling his soul to Voldemort...

No! She berated herself silently, while the blond Slytherin observed her closely. It was Draco's life and his choice to make! And if he chose the dark side... well, she'd cross that bridge when and if she came to it. She just needed an ally in this school. An ally who understood her and who wanted nothing in return. She loved Wyatt to bits, but her younger cousin was all Light, and, though he tried, he'd never understand her. And as for Snape...his loyalties lay with Dumbledore. She could only trust him so far. Draco...was perfect. She needed this friendship, and whether or not he knew it, he needed hers too.

Talia tried to cover her anxiety as she watched her blond potential friend consider her offer.

"Yeah, why not?" drawled Draco in a falsely unaffected voice.

Talia smirked at him and resisted the urge to punch the air in triumph.


	22. Temptation

**A/N:** Hello everyone!

I'd planned on getting this out on Friday, but when one is buried in Microeconomics revision, getting one's fanfic chapter out on time is even harder than it sounds!

_Ernie: Have. You. Forgotten. Something. Cinammon?_

A BIIIIG Happy Belated Birthday to **Frisbee400**! I did try to get the chapter out on Friday, as you can see, but the best laid plans always seem to fall through. Either way, this chapter is wholly dedicated to you. Goodness knows you deserve it, with all the lovely, chuckle-inducing reviews you've been leaving me lately! Hope you had a fabulous birthday!

_Ernie: Thanks. Also. Go. To. The. Rest. Of. Our. Wonderful. Reviewers!_

Starting with...

_Ernie: **Chorin**_

Characterisation is important, isn't it? I was rereading this entire story yesterday, and to be honest, I'm not so sure it's as good as you lovely people say it is, or that I do the characters justice the way you say I do. Still, compliment noted, and greatly appreciated. I'm honoured that you would introduce this story to your friends. I hope you enjoy this next chapter.

_Ernie: _**_Virginia_**

I have a feeling you'll like this chapter. There's more Talia and Draco interaction in this one, though I hadn't planned there to be. Still, I felt it was necessary so that blanks would be filled for later in the story. Enjoy the chapter!

_Ernie: Thank. Also. Go. To. **CharmedSisters**_

Were you wondering about Voldie? Well, wonder no more. There's a bit more of him in this chapter. As for Dumbledore telling the other teachers who Talia and Wyatt really are, no, it hasn't happened yet. In the entire faculty, only Dumbledore and Snape are privy to that information.

_Ernie: **Ori**_

The _lovely _**Ori**, you mean. I hope you're doing better, sweetie. Time heals all wounds, and though that might sometimes seem hard to believe, it _is _true. I'm glad to have made you smile. I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much. I'm on Easter break too, but I won't be going home. I have exams starting on the 18th of May, and though that may seem very far away, these are big exams, and I had to stay on site to study. School closed last Friday, but I spent my entire Monday in the school library. Isn't life cruel?

_Ernie: **Asian. Orchid.**_

I'm sorry to have given you a scare, darling. I do intend to finish this story. Updates may not be as frequent as I'd like, what with my exams looming dangerously close, but enjoy writing way too much to give it up. Even before I'd discovered fanfiction, I used to write my own stories. Pages and pages of them. I'm hoping you enjoy this chapter as much as you appear to have enjoyed the rest. It's got more Draco/Talia in it...

_Ernie: **CharmingStar** __And.__ Her. New. Hot. Looking. Laptop._

Ernie! Stop flirting! Alex, I feel I must warn you, I get a kick out of naming laptops (technology and all that) something highly old fashioned. My previous laptop – may its hard drive rest in peace – was called Theodore, and Ernie, well, it's short for Ernest. If your laptop's a female, might I suggest Mabel, Hortencia or Elspeth? Theodora's pretty good too. If you want to sex it up a little, how about Annabelle, or Roberta. If I ever have another laptop, I think I'll call him Archibald. Sufficiently pretentious enough for you?

_Ernie: **Colofree**_

Glad to be back! It's people like you, who made my return worth it!

_Ernie: _**_Virginia_**

Don't put yourself down. You're a wonderful reviewer! What would I do without you? Lost potential is a terrible, terrible thing, but, as big a burden as it sounds, it's up to us the survivors to make up for it. Enjoy this next chapter!

_Ernie: Thank. You. **Harrypotterfan4eva**_

Oh, is the suspense killing you? I hadn't realised... :snigger, snigger: There's more Draco/Talia for you, and a little more Voldie to put you mind at ease – or not. Enjoy...

_Ernie: **Sveta89**_

I'm glad you like the chapter. Hope you like this one just as much!

_Ernie: **Nexos23**_

Ah, Talia and guys... As if she could stay away! Hogwarts male population watch out! Talia Turner's in town! And the Talia and Draco connection you like so much, I'm pretty fond of it too. Gotta love that girl!

_Ernie: **Bob-the-bear**_

May the power of Pink Polka dot Pompoms be with you too, girl! And don't worry, there _will _be leather somewhere in this story. I'll just have to see where I can squeeze it in. Literally. Who can resist the image of Draco in tight lack leather trousers? I hope your assignments went/are going well.

_Ernie: Thank. You. **CT. Malone**_

Hehe, there's bit more grey Talia coming up! I trust your own story's doing ok? I was happy to hear you got yourself a beta. They're sooo useful to have around, aren't they Ernie?

_Ernie: She. Would. Be. Completely. Useless. Without. **Nightcrawler**_

Hey!

_Ernie:The__. Next. Thanks. Go. To. **Winter.**** Blaze**_

Ask and ye shall receive. Heeere's more!

_Ernie: **Anna **_

Talia and Draco's fun times? Funny you should say that...

_Ernie: **Mcigirl**_

Glad you find things interesting. They're about to get even more interesting!

_Ernie: **Reigning. Devil**_

I'm glad you like my Draco. Oh, all right, Rowling's Draco, if I _have _to say it. There's more of him in this chapter!

_Ernie: __And.__ Last. But. Certainly. Not. Least. The. Birthday. Girl. **Frisbee400.**_

I'm glad you like Talia so much. I feel I can relate to her. It wasn't too long that I was a teenager myself, and though I was never nearly as confident as Talia, I had the "doubts" part just right! And I was funny too – in a laughing-at-me-not-with-me kind of way. I'm still as clumsy as Tonks! Hmm... On second thought, I was nothing like Talia as a teenager, Princess of the Underworld, or no Princess of The Underworld.

Though I count myself a Draco/ Hermione fan in fanfiction, I'll read anything that's good and I've read some pretty good Ron/Hermione fics. As for cannon, well, I think we're all pretty sure, if we're honest with ourselves, of were Rowling is headed pairing-wise. At least when it comes to Ron and Hermione. I hope I don't get crucified for this... But honestly, if I had a sickle of every time I found myself wanting to kick some sense into Ron...

As for sorting you, I think you've forgotten Raveclaw. I don't you well enough, I'm afraid, to know whether or not I should also suggest Hufflepuff, but even I can see that you'd be right at home in Rowena's house!

(w) 

As always, credit must go to the illustrious **Nightcrawler** for his beta reading.

**Warning** for language. Though I've watched PG13 movies with just as much swearing as this.

**Chapter 22: Temptation**

"This is bullshit!" cursed Draco under his breath, "Complete and utter bullshit!" He stomped angrily away from the castle to vent his anger privately. It would never do for anyone to see him in such a state. "In the name of all that is sacred and holy..." he hissed under his breath, eyes narrowed, inwardly focused on what had made him so angry in the first place.

The Malfoy heir was positively fuming! A deep scowl marred his features and his fists were clenched tightly by his sides. In one of those fists, he held a letter crumpled so tightly, that no straightening charm would ever be able to repair the damage he caused it.

"No bloody moment's peace..." he mumbled to himself in a blind rage. His stormy eyes shot fire at an invisible foe. "As if it's not enough to bloody nag me to death when I'm at home, now they have to hound me down at school too!"

He kicked a stone angrily out of his way, growling out his frustration for all he was worth.

"Fucking bastards the lot of them!" he screamed at the Scottish landscape that surrounded him.

And still he kept going, marching away as fast as he could from school, hoping to exert some of his anger on this mad dash to nowhere. He finally came to a stop under a gnarled oak. He was breathing heavily with more than physical exertion, and his cheeks had an angry flush to them, unbecoming of a Malfoy. Only his rugged breathing and the angry pounding of his heart broke the silence.

He stood like that for what seemed like a long time, yet was in fact no more than a few moments. For once, the blond boy's usually strictly controlled emotions were in full view, and though he did not move, his anger was still evident in the stiffness of his stance, the terseness in his body, and the chiselled harshness of his face.

In a swift, surprise, movement that would have made his House animal proud, he punched the trunk of the ancient tree as hard as he could.

His knuckles split on the impact and he immediately felt the sharp sting of the wounds. He absentmindedly noticed from the pain that he must've broken a finger or two, yet he did nothing to soothe his injured hand, his mind still bent on whatever had made him mad enough to punch a tree trunk in the first place. Blood quickly welled up where his skin had torn from the blow, yet he paid it no heed as it trickled down his still-clenched fist to water the ground.

And then he crumpled. Tension left his face, it left his posture, and the lost little boy finally managed to peek out of the eyes of this half-boy, half-man with too many responsibilities on his shoulders. He slid slowly down the tree trunk and cradled his face in his hands in desperation.

He felt trapped; so _utterly trapped_!

When had his life become not his own? An inappropriate snort escaped him. Had it ever been his to begin with? He dug angrily at the ground with his uninjured hand – the one that didn't still hold the crumpled letter – perversely delighting in the dirt under his otherwise perfectly manicured fingernails.

He sat under that tree for a while. He didn't cry. Malfoys didn't cry. He was sure there was a written rule somewhere about that. But he tried to calm his breathing and slow the erratic beating of his heart. He tried to stop the shaking that seemed to have suddenly invaded his very bones.

And that's when he heard it; the unwelcome ring of girlish laughter.

The young man's face twisted in horror. No! He couldn't handle this right now! He couldn't! He needed time to cam down, to become the coldly unflustered Malfoy everyone expected him to be. He couldn't let anyone see him like this! He wasn't ready!

Draco Malfoy risked a furtive look from behind the tree to see a small group of Gryffindor girls come his way. He whisked his head back behind the tree and closed his eyes in mortification. This couldn't be happening...

"Here! Let's sit here!" spoke a disgustingly cheerful voice.

Draco didn't even dare breathe! They were standing right on the other side of the tree! _His _tree! _Go away; just go away,_ he chanted in his head.

"I don't see why we have to do this," a voice whined, "There's a perfectly good lunch laid out for everyone in the Great Hall."

"Don't be a spoilsport, Hermione!" chastised the first voice. "Have you any idea how rare it is to have such a glorious day at the end of October? We can't possibly waste it by staying indoors!"

Draco couldn't believe it! The mudblood and the Weaslette! Of all the rotten luck...!

"Well, maybe we should've invited the guys too," Granger continued sounding slightly uncertain.

He blinked. Had she really just said that?

Despite his previous mood, Draco felt his lips curl into a smirk. Aw, was the little mudblood worried about leaving her boyfriends alone? Maybe she was afraid of them running off together and leaving her behind. The smirk widened. After all, teasing the Golden Trio had always been the perfect distraction for when things got too much over the years...

"I'm pretty sure Harry and Ron can take care of themselves," said a clearly amused voice, almost voicing his thoughts.

Draco's eyes widened in horror. He knew that voice!

"You can't fool me! You're just afraid of a little girl talk," the voice teased, "admit it Hermione!"

Talia! She was the last person he wanted to see him like this! His shattered façade took time to fix! He needed time to calm down; time to reclaim that infamous Malfoy smirk, and that unaffected drawl that was his own personal trademark, before he faced her!

"Mortally," Granger admitted wryly, eliciting a chuckle from the other girl.

"Stop stalling you two, and sit down!" a new voice said.

"Parvati's right. Come on, I'm absolutely starving!" said a second new voice.

_Bloody hell! How many of them were there? _Draco counted the different voices in his head. Five of them. There were _five_ of them! How was he ever going to get out of this?

There was only one thing to do, he decided glumly with an inaudible sigh, and that was to lay low, and stay quiet until they decided to leave.

(w) 

Good grief! If he had to listen to any more of this, he would go mad!

"So I told Seamus that I don't want to see him again, until he learns to appreciate me properly!"

_At which Seamus was probably ecstatic,_ Draco commented viciously in his inner monologue. Honestly, how could anyone be as annoying as this Brown girl? What was her name again? Something purple, he was sure of it. Her parents must've had a thing for colours. Lilac? Violet? That must be it, Violet, he decided with no small amount of satisfaction.

"Way to go Lavender!" the Indian-girl-next to-her-who-had-a-twin-sister-in-Ravenclaw said.

Oops! Oh well, at least he was right on the "something purple" bit. How did Talia stand these girls' chatter was beyond him!

On the other hand, he hadn't heard the brunette's voice for a while. Maybe she was as bored of their chatter as he was. The blond caught a groan that rose to his mouth as he tried to surreptitiously shift his weight, just in time. His hand hurt. A lot. Stupid, bloody tree!

"I still can't believe you broke it off with Dan Claythorn after only eight days, Talia," gushed the Weaslette.

Draco perked up at that. So she'd finally gotten rid of that annoying Hufflepuff, huh? About time!

Talia made a face, though Draco couldn't see it.

"Dan's sweet, but he's a bit too sweet for me, you know?"

Draco caught himself from nodding stupidly in agreement. It's not like she could see him. But he knew it! He knew Talia wouldn't be able to stand a Hufflepuff for very long. No matter what the Sorting Hat said, she was a Slytherin through and through, just as he himself was.

"What do you mean?" asked Granger.

"Well, he insisted on carrying my books everywhere, he was always _so_ polite, he'd hold my hand all the time..."

The little Weasley girl smirked and he could hear it in her voice when she spoke. "I'd think those were good things..." He was surprised. He didn't think Gryffindors _could _smirk. Except Talia that is. That girl could _smirk_! But she didn't count. She should've been a Slytherin.

Talia shrugged, though once again, Draco couldn't see it.

"I guess," she added wryly. "Dan's a lovely guy, but he just wasn't the right guy for me. I need a bit more of a challenge," she announced.

In his position behind the tree, Draco Malfoy grinned.

"I hear he still hasn't gotten over you..." announced the Indian girl with a touch of malicious glee. Draco raised a single white blond eyebrow. Padma, was it? He might have to remember.

"No need to be so pleased about it," he heard the Granger girl mumble under her breath.

Draco sneered. She would think so, the little goody-two-shoes! As far as he was concerned, Dan Claythorn deserved what he got, for getting ideas above his station. Hufflepuffs getting involved with should've-been-Slytherins indeed! What next? A Slytherin and a Gryffindor perhaps?

"I'm not very nice to guys," Talia admitted. "I tend to get bored very easily. I know that sounds flippant, but it's the truth! I make a point of telling them that it's not a good idea to get involved with me before anything happens, but they never listen and they always end up getting hurt." She paused briefly. "I'm really quite horrible to them," Talia said pensively. "I feel sorry for Dan, but it's over. No matter how many flowers he sends."

"You're looking for something, sweetie," soothed the Padma girl, "just like the rest of us. And you'll never find it, unless you actively search for it. There's nothing wrong with that."

The next words spoken however, took him by surprise.

"Ooh, you know who's _really_ cute," hissed Violet – no, Lavender, he corrected himself – in excitement, "Draco Malfoy!" she announced triumphantly.

"What!" screeched Granger. "Are you serious?"

"For goodness' sake, don't ever refer to Draco Malfoy as cute!" Talia said in an equally horrified voice. "Sexy as the Devil, yes," she corrected them, "cute, no! He'd kill you if he ever heard you."

Draco could actually picture her shivering in disgust at the epithet. She knew him well. Well, well, well... Sexy as the Devil, huh? A grin that would've made a Cheshire cat jealous, appeared on his face. His eyes glittered with suppressed mirth, as he shuffled closer to the tree trunk to make sure he didn't miss anything.

"_Et tu,_ Talia?" Granger asked in a shocked whisper.

"Those dreamy grey eyes," mused Padma.

"And that hair!" enthused the littlest Weasley, "it's like liquid gold! Imagine running your fingers through it..."

"He's a cold-blooded git of a Slytherin! How can you say that?"

"Oh, come on, Hermione," Talia said, and there was palpable amusement in her voice, "you can't honestly tell me you haven't noticed. Draco _is _very good looking, even if he is a bit of a bastard! His eyes are just as intense as Harry's are, and you've got to admit he has better hair!"

"It doesn't move!" spluttered Granger, "his hair," she specified. "That's just not natural!"

Draco's uninjured hand unconsciously reached for his hair. He lowered it half-way, scowling.

"Ok, I'll give you that," agreed Talia, laughing, "he probably should ease up on the hair gel, but he does have a great body! Wide shoulders, a flat stomach..." the other girls must've looked at her funny, "You can tell, even under his robes!" she added hurriedly. "But it's more than that you know."

"It is?" came Granger's strangled voice.

Talia nodded.

"No man should be that graceful! He's like a big cat! A panther! And that delicious bad boy image does wonders for his sex appeal!" She laughed again, "Don't look so horrified! I'm not going to do anything about it! But you have to admit, Draco Malfoy sure is gorgeous to look at!"

Draco had to resist the urge to chuckle. Oh, this would make great blackmail material!

"You're really lucky Hermione to have to spend so much time with him, what with you being Head Girl and he, Head boy and all!" continued Lavender.

Oh how irritating he found the blonde's voice! _Go back to Talia praising my bad boy good looks,_ he wanted to say. But of course he didn't.

Talia and the Weaslette laughed at something. Probably at Granger's face at the mere suggestion that she enjoyed time spent with _him_. For once, he couldn't blame the mudblood. He felt the same way.

"Thank you for that ever so informative conversation, but if you'll excuse me, I think I'll go before you further traumatise my delicate and impressionable psyche!"

_Finally! _Draco sighed.

"Aw, come on Hermione, you don't have to go!" whined the little redhead. "We were only teasing!"

"Actually Ginny, I do have to go. I've got Transfiguration in five minutes. And so do you two," Granger said, indicating two of her classmates.

"Oh, already!" whined Violet, or Lavender, or whatever her name was!

_Bollocks! _He had Transfiguration too! With the Gryffindors! This day just kept getting worse and worse...

"And you've got Potions, right Ginny?" Granger commented pointedly.

"Oh, don't remind me!" groaned the little Weasel.

"You coming Talia?" asked the Padma girl.

"No thanks, Parvati."

_Parvati__! So that was her name! Wonder what made him think of Padma?_

"You know I don't take Transfiguration. I think I'll just stay out here for a while."

"Don't stay too long," whiny Granger admonished. "There're clouds in the horizon. It looks like it might rain after all."

"Have a good lesson!"

(w) 

_Finally!_ He'd though they'd never leave!

Draco dared a quick peak around the tree. Talia lay comfortably on a multicoloured blanket, her eyes closed. Quietly, he got up from his sitting position behind the tree. He walked round and risked another look at the Gryffindor.

Her hair lay all around her like a halo, and her full lips were curled into a smile. Was she day-dreaming? Draco smirked. This was too good to resist.

"Sexy as the Devil, Turner?"

Two startled brown eyes snapped open and unflinchingly met his.

"Just how long were you eavesdropping?" she asked coldly.

"Long enough," he drawled.

She sat up. She was looking up at him with an unreadable expression on her face. A smirk played on her lips.

"Shouldn't you be in transfiguration with the others?"

"I don't feel like it," he arrogantly drawled.

_Damn!_ His hand hurt like hell! A tiny movement caused a sharp twinge of pain to shoot through him. Yup, he'd definitely broken a finger or two, and with his luck, the rest of his hand would soon be completely bruised.

"Oh, jeez...what have you done to your hand, Draco?"

Talia stood up quickly to face him and take a closer look at his injury. Had he winced or flinched to tip her off? Draco had tried not to. She carefully took his hand in her own. Her small hands were soft and warm. The golden colour of her skin struck a sharp contrast against the paleness of his own. Was that alarm in her eyes? Concern?

"What's that you've got there?"

_Fucking hell!_ He still had his father's letter clenched in his mangled fist.

"_Incedio_," he whispered, and with a brief gesture of his wand – held in his uninjured hand – the piece of paper burst into flames.

Talia was taken by surprise but, strangely enough, she didn't move her hands away from his when they were seemingly enveloped in fire. He raised his grey eyes to meet her questioning brown ones.

"Nothing you need to know," he said dispassionately.

She raised an eyebrow, but otherwise said nothing. She turned her full attention back to his injuries. Soon she had the abrasions on his knuckles all healed up.

"Your index and middle fingers are broken," she said softly, after passing her wand over them.

_Well, duh!_ He knew that.

"I wish Wyatt was here," she caught his eye, "he's so much better at this that I am."

She continued to examine his hand.

"I remember the incantation Pomfrey used when I broke some fingers learning to fly a broomstick, but I've never tried it myself," she finally said, biting her bottom lip.

Draco looked up in alarm. He remembered well what happened back in second year when Lockhart had tried to fix Potter's broken arm.

"Talia, maybe you shouldn't -"

"_Digitus__ Emendo_."

Draco flexed his fingers. The pain was gone.

"Did it work?"

"Yeah, it worked."

Draco knew he was supposed to thank her now, but Malfoys never thanked anyone. He turned to look at her. She didn't seem to be expecting a thank you, but she _was_ looking at him strangely.

"What?" he asked, suddenly annoyed.

"Something happened, didn't it?" she asked knowingly.

He scowled. When he'd stepped out from behind the tree, he'd only wanted to tease her for a bit, and then maybe go to Pomfrey with some cock-and-bull story about how he hurt his hand. Pomfrey never asked for details when Slytherins came to her with injuries. Draco had a feeling she didn't want to know. After Pomfrey healed him, he'd planned on going back in his room in the Slytherin dungeons to sulk 'till it was time for dinner. But now Talia was giving him a _look,_ and he had a feeling she wouldn't be so easy to shake off. Suspiciously, he waited for her next move.

She smiled, surprising him once again. Leisurely, she stretched, her arms rising over her head.

"I've just about had enough of this place. What do you say to you and me getting out of here for a bit?"

He covered his surprise with a raised eyebrow.

"And go where?"

"Hogsmeade, I suppose...unless you have another suggestion. I haven't been to the Hog's Head since we last went there together in the summer."

A twinkle of amusement shone in the depths of his eyes. The raised eyebrow took on a whole new meaning.

"What about classes?"

Talia shrugged.

"You're already cutting Transfiguration. We'll find some excuse or other."

Draco's blond eyebrow stayed up. He felt the corner of his mouth involuntarily twitch. Talia's full lips stretched into an irresistible mischievous smirk.

"I've got Sobering and Hangover potions in my room. I learnt to make them after our little adventure. Never know when they might be needed..."

Draco's eyebrow finally came down. He smirked and shrugged elegantly, trying to hide the amused grin that threatened to burst forth.

"I could use a drink," he drawled.

"_Accio__ Sobering Potion!__ Accio Hangover Potion!"_

(w) 

Talia was upset.

The strange thing about it, was that she wasn't quite sure why. All she knew, was that an unexplained restlessness permeated her very bones tonight, and her very blood boiled in anticipation of..._something_.

She and Draco had been back for hours. Neither of them had needed the potions she'd brought along. They had a good time, talking, and laughing, and making cruel comments about the people around them. They'd even found a group of large big-brawn-no-brain wizards to pick a fight with. Draco's snide comments had done the job quite nicely. They kicked ass, of course. He hadn't told her what had been bothering him that afternoon. She hadn't asked. That wasn't what their strange friendship was about. When they left Hogsmeade they'd both been in high spirits. Good company tended to do that.

She'd gone straight to bed when they got back, but no matter what she did, sleep eluded her. And so, she wandered the corridors of Hogwarts unable to find solace. It was hardly the first time. She was never one to sleep much, and when she did sleep, there were always her chronic nightmares to deal with. But things had been worse since the school year had started. She hardly slept at all any more, and her nightmares had become even more violent and terrifying than they had previously been. She was tired; so tired... Sleepless night after sleepless night was catching up with her. Ron had been 'kind' enough to point out the existence of the black bags under her eyes that very morning. She'd hoped that after a few drinks, she would slip easier into Morpheus' embrace.

Talia snorted. As if she'd be that lucky!

She had tossed and turned for hours on end until she finally drifted into a restless sleep. But she'd woken up barely an hour later with a scream firmly lodged in her throat and terrible images of blood and carnage imprinted behind her closed eyelids. The dream hadn't been very clear. Were those horrific pictures past memories, or twisted images conjured up by her tortured mind? Talia didn't know. She was simply glad that she had woken up in time to prevent herself from screaming out loud and waking her roommates. They would want to know what was wrong, and what was she to tell them? All there was to do now, was wait for the sun to come up. She didn't have long to wait. Half an hour should do it, she decided with a sigh.

"And here I thought I was all alone," a voice drawled behind her.

She jumped. She couldn't help it; she had been too absorbed in her own thoughts to pay attention to her surroundings. Cole would've had her head for it. Talia whipped round to see who had addressed her. Years of fighting kicked in and she found herself already, without realising it, in a defensive stance.

A boy around her own age walked up to her. His jet black hair fell charmingly in the bluest eyes Talia had ever seen. He wore the Slytherin uniform and, seeing her stance, raised an eyebrow.

"Hi," she answered him unsurely.

Surreptitiously she checked her muggle watch to see that it was quarter to five in the morning.

"I didn't mean to frighten you."

She straightened up, trying to hide her embarrassment at being caught off guard.

"I didn't think anyone else was out here, that's all," she said.

The boy shrugged.

"Neither of us is allowed to be. It's so past curfew, it's not even funny," he sighed unhappily. "I bet even Filch is asleep by now."

Talia spotted a badge pinned on his robes.

"Shouldn't you be telling me off?" she asked cheekily, motioning to it. For a minute there, she thought it was the head boy badge, but it couldn't have been. Draco was head boy.

He shrugged once again.

"Forgive me, I'm being rude. The name's Tom. Tom Riddle," he said with a charming smile, offering a hand for her to shake.

She took it and felt a chill go down her spine at the contact.

"Pleased to meet you, Tom," she said politely, but her eyes watched him carefully. "My name's Talia Turner."

"I know." His eyes looked straight back, unflinching, cold as ice. His smile never reached them. "You're new at Hogwarts, right?"

"Yeah," she smirked, "I heard Hogwarts doesn't get many new students other than first years, I guess you were bound to have heard of me."

He nodded and she found his stare unnerving. His intense blue eyes beckoned to her.

"So..." she started, "it seems you have me at a disadvantage. You know me, but I don't know you."

"What do you want to know?" he smirked, and there was an evil, evil edge to it she'd only just noticed.

He took a step forward. Unconsciously, she took a step back. She watched him warily.

"What year are you in?" she asked nonchalantly. A sudden, unexplainable, slither of fear made its way down her back.

...And it was exciting!

"Seventh. Like you."

Again, he moved towards her. Again she stepped back. It was a game, she realised suddenly! Adrenaline flooded her body and her heart beat faster. The Phoenix never backed down from a challenge! She resolved not to step back again, no matter how close to her he came.

"You're not in any of my classes," she smiled flirtatiously.

He shrugged again.

Talia didn't know why, but despite being nothing but civil to her so far, the boy made her nervous. It was funny really. Here she was, the Source's ex-assassin, his daughter, and the daughter of a Charmed One, and this... boy, made her nervous! Fear wasn't a feeling Talia was very familiar with. She thought she'd left it behind when she left the Underworld. To have someone so unexpectedly stir it in her... A thrill went through her!

"How come you're up so late then, Tom Riddle?" she tried again.

"Same reason you are," he answered, suddenly serious, coming closer.

"Can't sleep, huh?"

Something flickered behind his eyes. Satisfaction? That simple phrase changed everything it seemed. It shouldn't have, but it did. It was as if it had confirmed Riddle's suspicions and he was now, finally, free to act on them.

Talia's heart raced as he came even closer backing her against the wall. She could feel the explosive combination of their magic crackle around them, each warring for supremacy. All thought of mundane conversation was suddenly forgotten. Something important was happening here. And her senses practically screamed at her to pay attention.

Neither of them was an ordinary student, and there was no use pretending anymore. They both knew it.

This boy... this _creature_ (where had that thought come from?), touched a part of her she thought she'd buried long ago. His eyes, was all she could see. They held temptation, whispered promises, and dark secrets, in their cerulean depths. She was startled to feel the cold castle wall against her back. He'd pushed her against it, roughly, pinned her hands above her head. Talia felt a sense of déja-vous. She'd been here before. _They_'d been here before.

"There's a connection between us Little Phoenix. You feel it too, don't you?"

Her breath caught in her throat. Oh, yes, she felt it alright. His eyes were darkened with unadulterated lust, just as she knew hers were...battle lust...blood lust.

"You were meant for great things...just as I was. The puny life of mortals is not for us," he purred.

This was the stuff her nightmares were made of, she thought, and yet...

He bent his head and his warm breath tickled her ear enticingly.

"You can try, but you can't escape your fate, Talia. It's time you realised what you have always known."

The velvet in his voice called to the darkness in her soul. This was a seduction of a different sort. One she was intimately familiar with, though she had never been on its receiving end. How many times had she used that same tone of voice on unsuspecting humans, seducing them into damning their souls for ever, for just another one of her smiles?

His voice dipped even lower.

"There is no Good or Evil, Talia...only Power...and those too weak to seek it."

Chills went up and down Talia's spine and reality came crushing back down on her. The Underworld's bloody mandate! With a startling clarity she remembered where she'd heard that voice before – on an August night, when ghostly lips had brushed against hers. But there was nothing ghostly about these lips, she realised with shock, feeling Tom crush her mouth with his own. His kiss was everything a kiss should never be. He tasted of ashes. Her eyes had stayed open, wide open, and she finally found the strength to react. In a swift, unexpected movement, she kneed him in the groin.

He was thrown violently away from her, his sharp teeth, which had been nibbling on her lower lip, tore away sharply, leaving a bloody trail behind them. He crouched painfully on the opposite wall of the corridor.

A fireball formed in Talia's left hand.

"Who are you?" she demanded. "_What _are you?"

"You've got ssspunk little princesssss," Tom hissed in a voice much deeper than the one he'd used previously. "And a ssspirit I will enjoy breaking." He raised his eyes to look at her through the silky black strands that had fallen roguishly to further cover his face in shadow. "You and I know that you won't be able to get thisss encounter out of your mind ssso quickly." He smirked. "Sssweet dreamsss Princessssss."

And with that, he was gone; vanished into thin air.

Talia growled in frustration and threw the fireball where moments ago, Tom Riddle used to stand. With a burst of flames the fireball crushed against the stone wall, charring it forever.

Suddenly exhausted, she slid down the wall the blue-eyed, black-haired boy had previously pushed her against.

"You can't apparate in and out of Hogwarts grounds," she whispered morosely, before laying her head down on her folded arms. All there was to do now was wait for the sun to come up.

(w) 

Somewhere far away, Lord Voldemort rubbed his hands together in glee. He had her! He finally had her! He had been almost sure that Talia Turner, Hogwarts' newest seventh year, was the Princess of the Underworld, and tonight, his suspicions had been confirmed.

He'd patiently sent the Princess nightmare after nightmare for weeks on end. And the nightmares he sent her had steadily gotten worse since that first contact in the summer. It wasn't all that hard really. Her subconscious carried plenty of material for its own nightmares. All he had to do was manipulate it correctly. And tonight, his hold on her had finally been strong enough for him to visit her in the flesh; so to speak. He mentally reached for the Princess of the Underworld, and had come face to face with Talia Turner. He had felt her, touched her. He had tasted her power, and he had been sure. Besides, Talia had admitted to him herself, that she had trouble sleeping. Why else would a Hogwarts student be up such an ungodly hour? Talia Turner and the Phoenix were one and the same, and now he was certain. He had her at last!

A smirk stretched his wildly deformed, snake-like features.

Whether she liked to admit it or not, the little Phoenix was falling further and further into the darkness that beckoned.

Tenderly, the Dark Lord put away the Orb of Illusions. It wouldn't do to damage it now, would it? Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange had had a hard time finding one of these. Orbs of Illusion were powerful, dark, artefacts and were extremely rare to find. Using it in conjunction with his tremendous legillimancy skills, he had created a powerful delusion for the young woman miles away at Hogwarts. An illusion of himself, in flesh and blood, as he had been more than fifty years ago.

He had tasted her fear; that exquisite taste that still lingered on his tongue. She was perceptive, the Source's daughter, she'd been on to him almost immediately. But he had sensed something else in her, at the appearance of Tom Riddle: excitement! True, she had fought him tonight, but soon enough, that would change. Yes, the pull of the dark side was strong in this one, and he knew just how to take advantage of it...

(w) 

Harry Potter struggled against his sweat-soaked sheets. His scar exploded in pain at Voldemort's happiness, but he did not wake. He had made a point of practicing his Occlumency regularly every night, after the disastrous end to his fifth year, and it paid off.

"Talia..." he murmured inaudibly in his sleep.

In the morning, he remembered nothing of the night's terrors. All that remained was a feeling of lingering dread that resided in the pit of his stomach and a vague sense that something was going to happen; soon.


	23. Conversations

**A/N: **Like my update time? This is what happens when I feel guilty about leaving my readers without a chapter for too long. I try to make up for it with the following chapters.

And because time is of the essence, considering that I can practically hear my macroeconomics revision calling me back, I'm not going to blab as much as I usually do at the beginning of every chapter.

_Ernie: Somehow. __I.__ Don't. Think. People. Will. Be. Terribly. Disappointed._

Hrmf. Thank you, Ernie. Kindly keep irrelevant comments to yourself and list those wonderful, wonderful people who keep my morale high through revision time with their thoughtful - and sometimes very funny – reviews.

_Ernie: Thanks. Go. To. **CharmingStar**** Winter Blaze. Asian Orchid. Anna. Ori.-**_

Would just like to say that I hope you didn't hurt yourself my dear Ori, when you dropped your jaw. You did pick it up and put it back in its place, didn't you? Leaving jaws around is a dangerous business. Someone could trip over it.

_Ernie: Don't. Interrupt. Cinammon._

I'm sorry, Ernie. :looks ashamed: I couldn't help myself.

_Ernie: Thanks. Also. Go. To. **Virginia. Sveta89. Frisbee400. CTMalone**. __And.__ Finally.__ **Harrypotterfan4eva**._

That was lovely. Thank you, Ernie.

_Ernie: You. Are. Welcome_.

Very touching. Brought a tear to my eye, it did.

_Ernie: No. Need. To. Get. Emotional._

I thought it was very sweet, the way you listed them all. Just like an Oscar acceptancespeech.

_Ernie: You. __Can.__ Stop.__ Now.****_

****

Fine, fine! I only have one more thing to say to our reviewers and then I'm done. **Virginia** and **Frisbee400** have inspired part of this chapter with their Wyatt comments. After reading them, I realised how right they were and couldn't help not writing the relevant scene. It's not the first time your reviews have helped formulate the story. Keep the suggestions coming and I promise to at least consider them. Oh, and **Frisbee400**, your channelling of Yoda was down right scary. I now have this image of you as a short green person who speaks funny. Not very flattering.

..oo00oo..

There's one more person to thank, before I let you get on with the chapter. You all know who he is, don't you? Yup, it's **Nightcrawler**, my lovely beta! Thank you **Nightcrawler**!

****

..oo00oo..

****

**Chapter 23: Conversations**

"Morning," said Talia weakly, sitting herself at the Gryffindor table for breakfast.

Her friends exchanged worried looks at her appearance. Talia's eyes lacked the fire that usually blazed in them, and dark circles rimmed them. There was an ashen pallor to her face and even her luxurious hair hung limp.

"Rough night, Tal?" asked Wyatt quietly.

"I didn't get much sleep last night," she admitted.

"Nightmares again?" asked Hermione sympathetically.

Talia nodded mutely.

Not that Talia ever talked about them, but Hermione was a light sleeper. She had woken up many a night since the beginning of the school year, to Talia sneaking out of bed. Hermione knew it was a post-nightmare ritual the other girl had. After the first few times, she even stopped nagging her about being out of bed past curfew.

"Pass the coffee, would you Gin?" Talia asked, hopping to change the topic of conversation. "What type of muffins are those Ron?"

"Blueberry," he announced, cramming the last bit of his, in his mouth. "'ant some?" he offered.

Talia shook her head making a face.

"I never liked blueberries," she said, pouring herself a cup of coffee.

Harry watched with fascinated horror as she ladled the cup with two full spoonfuls of coffee and an equal amount of sugar, poured hot water and mixed it with her spoon before raising it to her lips. There wasn't even any milk in there!

"Do you guys happen to know anyone called Tom Riddle?" she asked, trying to sound casual.

Whatever Talia had expected of her friends' reactions, she certainly hadn't expected them to be quite so extreme!

Ginny choked on her toast and Wyatt had to hit her on the back before she could breathe again.

Ron's mouth hung open in shock. It wasn't a very attractive look for him. Mostly due to the half-masticated egg and bacon that currently resided in his aforementioned wide open mouth.

Hermione had dropped the basket of rolls that she had been offering Talia. There were rolls everywhere, including, but not limited to, under the table.

Harry had been in the process of pouring pumpkin juice in his goblet. He was still, absent-mindedly, pouring pumpkin juice out of the jug, but his goblet had already overflowed, and the juice was spilling all over the table, pooling around Hermione's rolls. Talia, a set expression on her face, rose off her seat, lent over the table, and took the jug away from his unresisting fingers.

"I'll take that as a yes," she said in answer to her own question. "Now, will you please tell me who he is and why the mere mention of him, freaked you all out like it did?"

"How...where...why do you ask?" managed Harry weakly.

"I kind of met him last night," Talia answered quietly, carefully observing the raven haired boy in front of her.

From the sound of indrawn breaths around her, she gathered that wasn't a good thing. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Wyatt throw her a worried look. He was just as confused as she was; probably more so, considering he was still unaware of her little adventure last night.

"What's the big deal?" she asked, mildly irritated by their reactions. "He's a seventh year Slytherin, right? A prefect...what's so strange about that?"

Deep down, she recognised the untruthfulness of her own words. Tom Riddle was most certainly not just another student. That kind of power and evil was anything but ordinary.

Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged strange looks. Ginny avoided looking at anyone.

"What!" asked Talia once again, getting angry. She could feel Wyatt next to her getting more and more worried.

"Talia," Harry finally answered quietly, "Tom Riddle is the real name of Lord Voldemort."

Talia stared back at them with eyes open wide. She never once looked at her cousin, but she was acutely aware of his presence next to her. It was mildly comforting in a way she couldn't explain, despite his indrawn breath at Harry's revelation.

"No, that can't be right," Talia tried, "Tom Riddle looked our age! Lord Voldemort was in power before you were even born, Harry!"

"Tom Marvolo Riddle is an anagram for 'I am Lord Voldemort', Talia," Hermione explained quietly.

"Tom Riddle was a student in this school," said Harry hoarsely. "He was in Slytherin and, although a half-blood, he's the heir of Salazar Slytherin. When he left Hogwarts he started calling himself Lord Voldemort instead. That's when he gathered followers to him; followers he called Death Eaters.

"In our second year - Ginny's first," he said, sneaking a worried look at the ashen-faced redhead, "something extraordinary happened at Hogwarts. You've read _Hogwarts A History_, so you know what the Chamber of Secrets is, right?"

Wyatt and Talia looked briefly at each other and gravely nodded.

"The chamber was opened," announced Hermione.

Talia heard Wyatt gasp and felt her own eyes widen even further at the implications of Hermione's words.

Talia made a conscious effort to calm down. She was Talia, Princess of the Underworld. She'd faced worse things than Voldemort before. Hadn't she? Either way she reacted the only way she knew how. A stony mask settled over her features and the shutters behind her big, brown eyes slammed shut, hiding all emotion inside. She had her game face on. _Now_, she was prepared to hear what else Harry had to say. The Phoenix would then sit down and think through it all coldly, dispassionately, logically. Then, it would all make sense, and she could come up with a plan of action. For now, all she would do was listen.

"Do you guys know what a basilisk is?" continued Harry.

Wyatt nodded while Talia shook her head. She turned to look at her cousin.

"Big snake," he said weakly, "huge snake. Venomous bite, and if it looks at you, you're done for. If one looks at it reflected through a mirror, then instead of being killed instantly, they're petrified. It's in one of my Care of Magical Creatures books, _Fantastic Beasts and Where to find them_," he answered Talia's questioning look.

"A bit like a Medusa then?"

Hermione nodded.

"Slytherin's basilisk specifically targeted muggleborns," she added.

"And Tom Riddle..." Talia started, then trailed off.

"Like I said earlier Talia, Tom Riddle is the heir of Slytherin, and the Chamber could only have been opened by him," said Harry.

It was a lot to take in, but Talia's mind was already processing the information she'd just heard.

"But Voldemort couldn't have come here in your second year and opened the chamber, Harry! He only got his body back two and a half years ago, you told me that yourself, on the Hogwarts Express. Which means that he was little more than a spirit at the time the Chamber was opened. It had to have been someone else!"

"It's a little complicated, Tal," tried to explain Hermione. "When Voldemort was in his final year here at Hogwarts, when he was still Tom Riddle, he preserved the memory of himself, as he was then, inside a diary. He had by then already found and opened the Chamber, but only managed to escape expulsion by blaming another student for it. Tom Riddle was then forced to close the Chamber. I guess that by preserving himself in the diary, he was hoping for a second chance of opening the chamber and... 'cleansing'...the school from those...those he did not see fit to attend it," she finished softly.

Ron placed a hand comfortingly on her shoulder.

"Hermione was petrified that year," Ron said, more seriously than either of the cousins had ever heard him speak before. "He nearly died doing it," he offered his best friend a small smile, "but Harry defeated the basilisk and the memory of Vol-Voldemort. He saved the school," Ron finished, not without some effort.

Harry smiled at him wanly for finally managing to say Voldemort's name. Hermione squeezed his arm gently for the same reason.

"What did this person who introduced themselves to you as Tom Riddle look like, Talia?" asked Harry.

"He was tall," she said, "about six foot two, I think...black hair, like yours, Harry. Actually, he looked quite a bit like you, now that I think about it, but his eyes were blue, not green."

Harry nodded sombrely.

"Yes, that sounds like Tom Riddle, alright."

"But, how can it be?" asked Ron.

He looked to Hermione for answers, but she just looked at him sadly and shrugged.

"So let me get this straight," started Wyatt, "Are you guys saying that it was Tom Riddle's memory that opened the chamber?" he frowned, "How? He was just a memory, right?"

His friends looked uncomfortable. Ginny seemed close to tears. Talia felt just as confused as Wyatt was.

"A first year student found the diary and the memory of Tom Riddle possessed her. It nearly killed her," said Harry, so softly that Talia and Wyatt had to strain to hear him.

"Who?" Talia asked sensing that some important detail was being omitted.

"Me," answered Ginny softly.

It was the first thing she had said, since Tom Riddle's name had first been mentioned. Harry moved conspicuously closer to her in an unconscious, protective gesture.

"Ginny..." said Talia, immediately sorry for asking.

"It's ok," she said softly, though it clearly wasn't. "It was years ago, and Harry saved me from him."

But everyone still stared at Ginny for a while.

"How exactly did you meet Tom last night?" asked Ginny trying to divert attention from herself for a while.

Talia looked up to see that everyone was indeed staring at her now, so she told them. Not everything of course. She left out the kiss at the end. She didn't think they had to know about that. She watched Harry exchange looks with Ron and Hermione.

"What aren't you telling us, Harry?" Talia demanded.

"You know how at the Platform 9 ¾ I already knew your name before you told me it, Talia?"

She nodded.

"I said it was because I thought you looked like a Talia, but that's silly. Talia isn't really a common name, is it? I lied to you," he said, turning beetroot red.

Talia rolled her eyes.

"I knew that Harry," she said, "I just didn't know why you did it. I still don't. I figured that you'd tell me if and when you felt ready."

Harry smiled then grew serious again.

"I sometimes get these dreams..." he started.

..oo00oo..

"...And then he left, just like you asked him to," Harry finished.

There was silence for a while as all of them thought about everything they'd just heard.

"Is this all true?" demanded Wyatt.

Talia nodded, but wouldn't look at him.

"Why didn't you tell me, Tal!" her cousin cried out, obviously upset.

"It only happened once! I thought I'd dreamt it," Talia said, but she still wouldn't look at him.

"Talia," Harry said seriously, "Voldemort wants something from you. Do you know what that might be and why?"

All everyone around the table could do was look at Talia strangely. She said nothing, simply looked straight into her cup instead, and took another sip. Wyatt next to her was very, very angry. She could feel the anger radiating from him in waves.

"You have to tell Dumbledore, Talia," urged Hermione, and from the looks on the faces of the rest of her friends around her, she knew they felt the same.

It took every ounce of strength she had, not to groan a '_Why me!' _out loud.

..oo00oo..

"Talia, wait!"

Talia stopped, but didn't turn round. She knew exactly who her pursuer was, and she wasn't ready to face him yet.

"Don't you think you owe _me _an explanation first?" the angry blond demanded.

Talia sighed. It didn't seem like she had any choice. Dumbledore would have to wait; this was more important. She turned round.

"You're right, Wyatt. I _do_ owe you an explanation. But the corridor's hardly the best place for it."

She spied the door of an empty classroom and walked towards it. She held the door open for him.

"Coming?"

A sullen Wyatt entered the classroom. Talia took a moment to fortify herself for the long talk ahead, then followed him in.

..oo00oo..

Talia cast the last few silencing and locking charms on the door and, once again, turned round to face her cousin. Wyatt hadn't said a single word throughout this time.

"Trying to make this classroom safer than Gringotts, Tal?"

Talia winced. Wyatt never used sarcasm!

"I couldn't take any chances," she answered grimly. "You'll see why when you hear me out."

Wyatt sighed unhappily and Talia saw the hurt in his eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me, Tal?"

"I never thought to connect what happened in the summer with Voldemort. We hadn't even known he existed then."

"You should've still told me."

"I know. I...we were having so much fun here in the summer! There were so many things to learn and do...I guess I didn't want to believe that something bad could ever happen at Hogwarts. It was a one off. I meant to tell you if it happened again, but it never did. I thought it might have been one of the ghosts playing a nasty prank. Besides, it was... a lot easier to just put it out of my mind."

"What about last night then?"

"Last night...was different. I meant to tell you later today, I did, but the whole thing, it...really bothered me. I couldn't stop myself from asking about Tom Riddle at the breakfast table," she winced. "Looking back, it probably wasn't the smartest thing I could've done, but at least we have some answers now."

"What does Voldemort want with you, Talia? Do you know the guy from...before?" Wyatt asked coldly.

"No! I would've told you if I did."

"Would you?"

"Yes, I would! Come on Wyatt, you know me better than that!"

Wyatt's cold façade deteriorated.

"Yeah I do. I'm sorry, Tal, I just..."

"I know...me too. You're right," she smiled apologetically at him, "there should be no secrets between us." He smiled back warmly.

They didn't hug. The Charmed Ones were a lot for hugging, but it just made Talia uncomfortable and Wyatt knew it. Hugging had never really been a big thing in the Underworld.

"Wyatt...there's more, about last night and...about other things, that I didn't tell the others; or you."

Talia sounded apprehensive and Wyatt immediately looked alert.

"After talking to Snape and then Uncle Leo, when we figured out Dumbledore's agenda, I went to see Father."

The reaction was instantaneous.

"You went to see the Source! Are you mad?"

"He's my father, Wyatt. You know he wouldn't hurt me."

"Please tell me you didn't go in the _Underworld_ to see him?"

Talia said nothing.

"Talia!" her cousin groaned. "Your father wouldn't hurt you, but the rest of them want you dead! Or have you forgotten? Come on, Tal, you know better than that!"

"I was careful! I didn't let anyone see me. And besides, no one in the wizarding world was particularly forthcoming with information, not even Harry and the others. I figured that if we're going to get involved in this war, we could use as much information on Voldemort as possible. And who better to get the dirt on a dark wizard than the Source of All Evil?"

Wyatt sighed in resignation.

"What did you find out then?"

"Not much we didn't know, actually. But Father does think that Voldemort's dangerous. He wouldn't be surprised if he managed to take over the entire wizarding world."

Wyatt appeared startled.

"You mean the wizarding world in Britain."

"No, I mean the _entire_ wizarding _world_."

Wyatt's eyes widened.

"Wow!"

"Yeah...he's not very happy about it."

"Your father?"

"Yes."

"Why not? Voldemort wins, Evil rules. Shouldn't that make the Source happy?"

"It would make Voldemort too powerful. He already has allies in the Underworld, and without me there to support him, Father's position could potentially be in danger after Voldemort takes over the wizarding world. Father seems to think that it all hinges on whatever happens here in Britain. The way he tells it, Harry and Dumbledore are the only real threat to Voldemort's success. He supports their efforts, but he's not allowed to do anything about it. It would be inconceivable for the Source to support Good over Evil, for whatever reason."

Wyatt rolled his eyes.

"Underworld logic...I'll never get it."

"What you need to understand Wyatt, is that not all Evil is the same. And that Evil always competes with other Evil. The Underworld is all about control, power, and who owns what. It's a dog eat dog world down there."

"Anything else you haven't told me, Tal?"

"Well...I think you better hear the uncensored version of what happened last night."

Wyatt groaned.

"Last night, Tom Riddle tried to err...seduce me, I suppose."

"Now, _that_, I'm not so sure I had to know," Wyatt grimaced.

"Just hear me out, Wyatt. I didn't tell Harry and the others _everything_ Riddle told me. I think you'd be quite interested in some of it."

..oo00oo..

"...until he used the Underworld mandate."

"The Underworld has a mandate?"

"It's on the Source's coat of arms."

"The Source has a _coat of arms_!"

Talia looked momentarily annoyed.

"Let's hear it then; the mandate."

"_There is no such thing as Good or Evil; only Power and those too weak to seek it._"

"I'm sorry I asked."

"Yeah, well, hearing it brought me to my senses. I kneed him where it hurt and he backed off."

Wyatt's grimace of pain was easy to interpret.

"I almost feel sorry for the guy."

"He deserved it! So, anyway, _he_ said..."

..oo00oo..

"Don't you see, Wyatt? Lord Voldemort _knows_ who I am. Has known, or at least suspected, since the summer, now that I think about it! He called me "Princess" both times," she sighed unhappily, "Father was worried this would happen."

Wyatt groaned.

"First we figure out that Dumbledore got us here so we could fight his war for him, and now we find out that Voldemort has some secret, evil plan for you? Bring back the demon attacks, they were safer!"

"Get serious, Wyatt. We have to figure out what Voldemort wants with me."

"Isn't it obvious? What does every demon want with you, Tal?"

"To kill me? So they can collect the bounty Father's put on my head?"

"Those are just the bounty hunters. I'm talking about the seriously Evil, with a capital "E", scary guys."

"Well, some of those want to kill me too!" Talia protested. "It's good for their reputation. And besides, as Princess of All Evil, I wasn't exactly known for making friends down there; especially in the higher ranks of the Underworld. I helped Father stay in power, remember?"

"Now who's fooling around? You know exactly what I mean, Tal. Voldemort doesn't want to kill you; he wants to turn you Evil all over again. He probably wants you to join his ranks and fight his little war, just like Dumbledore wants us too."

Talia sighed, completely deflated. She sunk onto the desk she'd previously just been leaning against.

"Yeah, that's what I thought too. I was kinda hoping you'd come up with a different reason."

"Hey, that's alright," he tried to comfort her. "Let him try. We both know he won't succeed."

"I'm...not so sure about that," Talia admitted hesitantly. "Tom Riddle was pretty convincing last night."

Wyatt threw his hands in the air in exasperation.

"You and men!"

"Well, he was," Talia insisted.

"Tom Riddle _is_ Lord Voldemort, Tal. And Lord Voldemort is the sick bastard who killed Harry's parents. Just keep reminding yourself that and you'll never let yourself be taken in. I know you, remember?"

"First sarcasm and now you're swearing? Aunt Piper's gonna kill me!"

Wyatt grinned and slung a friendly arm around her shoulders.

"Let's go tell Dumbledore about this."

"Do we _have_ to?" she whined.

"You know we do. But you can err... leave out whatever parts make you feel uncomfortable. Frankly, I don't particularly want to hear about Voldemort kissing you again; in ghost form or in Tom Riddle form".

..oo00oo..

"Talia, there you are!" Hermione called.

Talia hid a grimace as she descended the stairs from the Gryffindor girls' dormitory, crossed the Gryffindor common room, and finally reached her friends. She'd been avoiding them all day. Quite the task, considering they attended most of the same classes together.

"Hey guys."

"Where've you been all day? We only saw glimpses of you during classes," Harry said. At least he sounded concerned.

"You didn't even show up for lunch!" Ron added in disbelief.

"I wasn't hungry, and besides, I had to drop off a book at the library."

"Oh," Ron unnecessarily said.

An awkward silence descended upon them. Talia knew what they were dying to ask, but she wasn't going to make it any simpler for them. Instead, she tried to work out who would break under the pressure first. Her money was on Hermione. The girl looked as if she was bursting with the effort not to ask what was on her mind.

"So, Tal, did you go see Dumbledore about what we talked about this morning?"

Yup, it was Hermione alright! Talia hid a smile and decided she owed herself five knuts.

"Yes. Wyatt and I went to see him right after breakfast. You must've noticed I wasn't in Charms." As cruel as it sounded, this little torture was the first fun she'd had all day.

Hermione bit her lip, wanting, but not daring, to ask the other question that was on the tip of her tongue. Luckily, Ron asked it for her.

"So? What happened? What did Dumbledore say?"

There it was, out in the open.

"Not much," answered Talia truthfully. "He just told me to let him know if it happened again."

"Oh," said a disappointed Hermione. For some reason, it annoyed Talia tremendously.

"Look, there's no need to worry about it guys. It doesn't look like there's anything we can do anyway."

And without saying goodbye, Talia moved towards the portrait exit of the Gryffindor common room.

"Tal, where are you going?"

She turned round to see Harry frowning after her. He really _did_ look concerned. She sent him a half-smile.

"For a walk."

"You want me to come with?"

Her tired smile widened.

"Don't worry so much, Harry. You'll get wrinkles."

And with that, she was gone.

..oo00oo..

Talia sighed in relief. She made it! She stood just outside Snape's training room savouring the delicious anticipation that gripped her. It had been a long day, and what she needed right now, was some exercise. The peace of mind that came from physical exertion, from following the harsh training routines her father had taught her. Perhaps if she got tired enough, she'd be able to sleep tonight. Putting her ear to the door, Talia grinned. There were noises coming out of the training room. _Snape must be in._ A bit of heavy duty sparring with the Potions Master would do wonders for the frustration that had hounded her all day.

Talia pushed the door open. But the grin slipped away from her face when she saw who stood panting in the room.

"What are _you _doing here?"

..oo00oo..

**A/N:** I'm not really sorry. I hadn't given you a cliffhanger for quite a while now. Don't forget to review!


	24. Swords Clashing

**A/N:** 316 reviews, wow!

Right, first and foremost, please don't go throwing the rotten tomatoes just yet, I had a really good reason for not updating, I promise!

The LSE (my university) only has one set of exams each year, and our entire grade depends on them. They are bloody hard too, and I really had no option but to lock myself in and study like Hermione on too much coffee, for weeks on end! I'd much rather have been writing this story than revising Game Theory, but – sigh! – such is life!

I am sorry however, for not letting you know beforehand. This chapter was supposed to come out before I went into fanfic hibernation telling you just that, but, well... I didn't manage to finish it on time.

_Ernie: You. Did. Stay. Up. Until. Two. In. The. Morning. Finishing. It. Last. Night..._

Yes, I did Ernie, thank you. And now, for the thank yous to all my wonderful reviewers. I'll try and keep it short, but there _are _a lot of you, and you all know by now how much I love to blab. Feel free to skip the thank yous and move on directly to the story. Take it away Ernie!

_Ernie: Thank. You. To.** CharmingStar**._

Err, yeah. Last update was fast. This one wasn't. Sorry! I hope your sociology went ok...

_Ernie: **Winter. Blaze.**_

Hehe. You're about to find out exactly who's in Snape's training room...

_Ernie: **CT. Malone.**_

Ah... Snape's mysterious sparring partner. All will be revealed in a little while. Patience, my little grasshopper.

_Ernie: **Anna.**_

Absolutely. Keeping you and the rest of my reviewers in suspense is one of life's great joys for me.

_Ernie: **Chantedly**_

I'm really glad to see you're still around! Don't worry about being too lazy to review. I'm probably lazier than you! Though after my long hiatus, I'm wondering if you really _are_ still around. Hellooo... Anybody out there...?

_Ernie: **Ori**_

I like Wyatt-Talia interaction too! I'm not so sure how much of it the storyline will allow, but I'll do my best. Thanks for the Dumbledore compliment, but had I included the Dumbledore scene, it would have meant that Talia would have had to repeat her story for the third time! I thought it might be a little boring.

_Ernie: **Nexos23.**_

Err, well, it's not very soon, but you do get to find out who's in the training room...

_Ernie: **Devlin. Rose.**_

I'm so flattered by your very astute observations! I rather think that Ginny might be more affected by the mention of Tom Riddle than Voldemort. Voldemort is but a vague menacing figure feared from afar, for her. Tom she has met, become one with. I'm really sorry if I offended/hurt you by not mentioning you in last chapter's credits. I really didn't mean to, and I hope you forgive me. I must've missed your name by mistake. Thank you so much for remaining a loyal reviewer!

_Ernie: **Sveta89**_

Thank you very much. I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much as you've enjoyed the previous ones.

_Ernie: **Frisbee400**. I. Did. Try. To. Follow. Your. Advise. But. She. Insisted. On. Passing. Her. Exams!_

/picks up quill and parchment/

Dear Maleficent,

I'm little embarrassed. I always thought it was "doggy-dog world", but "dog-eat-dog" makes sooo much more sense! Oops. Ah well. It's fixed now.

I really like Wyatt too, but there is so much that has to go on plotwise, that poor Wyatt may have to be left out of the loop again.

I seriously doubt this chapter could be described as "good and wholesome and not scandal-related", but I certainly hope it "help(s) (you) escape the hum-drum existence of daily life". Happy reading!

_Ernie: Thank. You. _**_Virginia_**

I'm really sorry for leaving you on a cliff hanger, then letting you hang there for such a long time, but you're finally getting an answer to your question. Read on!

_Ernie: **Asian. Orchid.**_

Oops! Another reviewer who hates cliff hangers! ...You're not all plotting some sort of assassination, are you? I really hope you haven't given up on this story yet!

_Ernie: **Charmed148**._

Absolutely! You should certainly try your hand at storytelling again! There will never be enough stories around! I had chicken pox too once, but I was around 5 at the time, and all I can really remember about it, was that it itched like hell! I'm hoping you're all better by now.

_Ernie: **Harrypotterfan4eva**_

I do know something you don't know – doo dah doo dah...

The end of this story for one. It's already written up, remember? As for who Talia sees in the training room... if you were upset to begin with and just wanted to be left alone, but bumped into someone snarky and sarcastic that you just _knew_ was going to try and bug you, wouldn't that make things worse? I'm not going to answer the Voldemort question. Doo dah doo dah dey...

_Ernie: **Raiderjade**_

Yeah, I know. Oops! I thought it was "doggy dog" since forever! Thanks for correcting me. Are you a new reviewer, by the way?

_Ernie: Our. Old. Friend. __And.__ Cheerleader.__ **Bob-the-bear.**_

I'm on school holidays now too! Isn't it great! Oh, I've certainly got things in store for Harry. And hopefully it won't be too long 'till you find what those are.

_Ernie: **Lobca**_

Ta da! I've updated! Are you a new reviewer by any chance? We'll get there eventually, but not for a while yet.

_Ernie: **Stary**._

Another new reviewer? Yeah, it would have been nice to include Chris, but when I started _Talia_, we didn't know who Chris was and, to my everlasting shame, I got rid of him with less than a sentence! For the sake of continuity, I couldn't very well have him in this one. I'm glad you're enjoying the story. I have a feeling you'll especially enjoy this chapter...

_Ernie: **Charmedsisters**_

What a lovely compliment! I'll do my best not to disappoint! And as for everyone learning who Wyatt and Talia are... it'll happen – eventually.

_Ernie: **IISGREAT**_

I'm glad my little story pleased you! I can't wait for the sixth book either! And as for Charmed, can you believe I haven't watched an episode since Christmas! I live in a student hall and don't own a tv. If I want to watch Charmed, I have to go into the common room, and there are ALWAYS people there wanting to watch a movie, or worse, the news! But I'm going back home for the summer, and I can't wait to catch up on Charmed!

_Ernie: **Goldencatbast**_

A page-turner? Wow! I'm really flattered, thank you.

_Ernie: __And.__ Finally. Thank. You. **Lexa**_

I adore quotes! Thank you. Have you seen the ones on my author page? The wardrobe in my room is covered in colourful post-it notes with little quotes on them. My favourite one at the moment is in Latin: _Aut__ inveniam, aut faciam_. It means: I will either find a way, or make one.

..oo00oo..

Phew! I told you there were a lot of you!

Finally, I'd just like to thank my lovely **Nightcrawler** for beta-ing this chapter when he's got exams next week. Thank you **Nightcrawler**!

I now leave you... with the story!

..oo00oo..

**Chapter 24: Swords Clashing**

"What am _I_ doing here! What are _you_ doing here!"

The blond Slytherin wiped his sweat matted hair away from his grey eyes, while glaring at the Gryffindor brunette. Then he groaned.

"Snape said that he let a couple of other students use the training room this year, but he never said who. Figures it'd be you!"

Talia narrowed her eyes at him.

"In which case, I have just as much right to use this room as you have," she said, throwing the towel she'd brought along, angrily on the floor. Without preamble she shed her robes to reveal the training clothes she wore underneath. Talia started on her stretching exercises. She tried to ignore him, she really did, but Draco Malfoy was a lot harder to ignore than most.

"I'm guessing that the other student allowed to use this room, is your good-for-nothing cousin," he drawled. He was leaning elegantly against a wall, his own towel hang carelessly around his sweaty shoulders.

Talia stopped her stretching on the floor abruptly. She did not look up at him as she spoke.

"Go away, Draco. I'm not in the mood," her tense voice echoed in the training room and Draco knew he was walking on thin ice.

..oo00oo..

He observed warily the young woman before him. There was an economy in her movements that spoke of both a practised ease and great anger. Draco had only once seen Talia angry, and her anger had at that time been directed at him. He watched her finish her stretching and start on a complicated routine full of punches and kicks, jabs and flips.

Damn, she was good!

His eyes betrayed nothing, yet he couldn't help but admire her grace, her elegance, and the deadly aura that surrounded her. He knew she was aware of his presence, yet she determinately ignored him as she went on with her training.

The pure-blooded ladies Draco knew were nothing like this woman before him. They were elegant and graceful, yes, but they were vapid, beautiful creatures who had little need to learn anything but how to care for their future husbands, children, and how to command the servants. Pansy Parkinson, Sally Ann Perks, and even Millicent Bullstrode, girls in his own House, girls he had grown up with, the same girls he had seen attend his parents parties along with _their_ parents, had barely managed to pass their end-of-year exams every year. And Draco couldn't really blame them. Pure-blooded ladies like them would never have the need to work after school, would never be _allowed_ to work, even if they wanted to. There was simply no motivation to try and make anything out of their lives. And so, they didn't. Pansy was a wiz when it came to beauty charms, yet her grades in Charms class were always abysmal. As long as she actually graduated, there really was no point in trying for anything more.

He watched Talia deliver a spectacular roundhouse kick to her imaginary opponent. Had he been real, Talia's foot would have likely taken his head off.

Yes, Talia was very, very different than the girls he usually associated with. Maybe it had something to do with her being American. Maybe it had something to do with her being a Wiccan. Maybe it had less to do with any of the above, and more to do with who she was. Draco shrugged. Though Talia didn't seem to try particularly hard, she was always somewhere on the top in every class. Her eyes practically glittered when talking of anything that drew her interest, whether that was academics or not. Just last night she had quoted poetry and spouted philosophy with him over drinks at the Hog's Head. Draco suppressed a smug grin. Talia had practically glowed with pleasure at being able to unleash all that wit and knowledge on someone who knew what she was talking about.

And Draco knew what she was talking about alright. Lucius wouldn't have tolerated otherwise. Draco had had a thorough classical education during his summer holidays in years past. Aristotle, Plato, Machiavelli, Dante, Kant, Nietzsche...he had read all of their writings. He had obediently absorbed what his overpriced tutors taught him, parroting their own views (his father's views, he knew) back to them when they asked.

Hey, it had kept his father happy! And in the summer before his sixth year, it had finally gotten him that Firebolt he always wanted!

But...when Talia talked about philosophy and literature...she was so passionate, that Draco couldn't help but be a little jealous. It wasn't _what_ she said, it was the _way_ she said it that had touched a nerve. She had her own views, the views she had formulated for herself. She could justify herself, could point at her way of thinking and say, "That's exactly how and why I've reached my conclusions". And all he could do was point at the same, old, moth-eaten ideas his father and teachers had passed on to him. They were certainly not conclusions he, himself, had reached. He hadn't allowed himself to really _think _about any of it, and that was the difference between them. To him, philosophy and literature had been an obligation, a pain; it meant homework in the summer. To her, it was a delight. And if he was honest with himself, their discussion the night before had made him feel a little like a fake. The blond Slytherin scowled.

He watched the Gryffindor brunette gracefully execute a series of flips that left him out of breath just from watching.

Draco wasn't a fool. He knew that there were things he was expected to think and believe in, that most people wouldn't be comfortable with. But Slytherins weren't most people. And Malfoys were the epitome of everything Slytherin. Draco had to admit to himself, that the reason he had never really bothered to look any closer at the beliefs that had been shoved down his throat since he was old enough to speak and listen, was because, deep down, there were parts of those beliefs that he, himself, did not feel very comfortable with.

There were glaring holes in some of his father's anti-muggle philosophies for one. Prior to coming to Hogwarts, Draco was willing to believe that both muggles and muggleborns, were little more than animals, that they were stupid, simple creatures, who, with their sheer numbers and the stupidity of the muggle-loving fools who supported them, would eventually spell the doom of the wizarding world. According to his father, everything a muggle (or muggleborn for that matter, to his father they were one and the same) could do, any pureblood could do better. But that was obviously not the case. Draco didn't want to see it at first, but he didn't really have a choice. Granger was a muggleborn. And though he hated to admit it, she was neither stupid, nor simple. She consistently beat any and all purebloods – including himself, to his everlasting annoyance and shame – to get the highest grades in class. Crabbe was a pureblood. And he would never be able to catch up to Granger academically, never mind beat her grades. Draco might have been able to blame this little inconsistency on Granger being some sort of freak of nature, but – he snorted – she was hardly the only muggleborn to beat Crabbe in school. Clearly not all purebloods were better than all muggleborns, and that part of his father's views, was wrong. The horror of that little realisation had actually made him physically sick back in second year. And it had also made him wonder if any other of his father's views were wrong too. He had never hated Granger as much as he had hated her then.

So, yes, a part of him doubted a lot of the things he had been taught, and that same part of him ached to discover and think about things on his own, but he always pulled himself back. Openly questioning his father's ideas was too dangerous.

Even Talia had carefully glossed over any such discussion last night. He didn't know if he felt a little saddened about that part or not. He would've liked to know what she thought. Draco winced when he remembered the slap she'd given him on the quidditch pitch for calling Granger a mudblood. Was she one of those muggle-loving fools he'd been taught to look down on, all his life? It certainly seemed that way. Was that why she'd ended up in Gryffindor? She _was_ friends with Potter, Weasel and the mudblood...

Yet his father had encouraged him to befriend her at every turn. Why would he do that if she was just another Gryffindor? Draco hadn't asked her, but he was convinced Talia was pureblood. She'd have never received his father's approval otherwise. What was it about her that ingratiated her in his father's eyes, despite the fact that she was a Gryffindor and Potter's friend?

He snuck a look at the brunette as she kicked and punched and jabbed her way around the training room.

Talia was obviously no idiot. If she did support Dumbledore and the rest of them, Draco was willing to bet she had good reasons to. Part of him wanted to ask her what those were. Part of him didn't want to know.

Draco closed his eyes and massaged his throbbing temple. All this thinking gave him a headache. Life would be much, much simpler if he didn't question his father's beliefs at all. It's not like he'd ever actually question them out loud for Merlin's sake! He wasn't a Gryffindor! Besides, surely all of Slytherin and the Dark Lord couldn't be wrong...

And surely his father knew best.

Either way, the way of doubt, was the way of trouble, Draco knew. And like a good Slytherin, he saw no reason to make his life any more difficult than he absolutely had to. He opened his eyes and a glint of determination shone in their grey depths. Time to get these stupid notions out of his head...

..oo00oo..

"Impressive," Draco drawled as he pushed himself away from the wall.

Talia turned to face him. Sweat glistened on her golden skin. She was sleek and tense like a panther about to strike, yet the fury in her eyes had abated significantly. She regarded him coldly as he came closer.

"That's a very big sword for such a little girl." He smirked.

Talia raised a single eyebrow. She'd picked up the sword not too long ago, and she had almost forgotten the blond Slytherin at the periphery of her vision. She didn't think he'd been paying her any mind, lost in his own thoughts. The light flashed on the cold metal as she suddenly moved to rest the sharp point of the sword on the tender skin of Draco's throat.

"Careful, Draco...or this little girl might just show you how well versed she is, at using this big sword," she drawled back, a hint of amusement about her.

His eyes glittered mischievously as he pressed slightly closer. The metal edge pressed against the skin rather painfully, but didn't break it.

"And I might just take you up on that challenge, Talia," he growled.

His voice was soft, lower than normal, and it sent shivers down Talia's spine.

"Alright," she answered in kind, "pick up a sword and let's see what you've got."

She took a step back and spread her arms invitingly. Draco smirked, before moving past her to the wall behind her, were many weapons hang, ready to be used. He examined the swords carefully while Talia watched.

Draco took his time. He finally picked a simple, yet heavy-looking blade, with a sharp edge. Talia approved. Most elaborate swords, while pretty to look at, weren't efficient. Heavy jewels and ostentatious carvings played havoc with a sword's balance. She watched the Slytherin swing the sword around a few times in graceful arcs and complicated twists, to get the feel of it in his hands. Only when he was satisfied did he turn round.

Talia and Draco faced each other.

"First blood?" she drawled.

"Let's go," Draco growled, seconds before Talia launched herself at him.

..oo00oo..

The room echoed with the clang of metal on metal. Talia twisted and aimed her sword in an underhanded, unfair move, directly at Draco's stomach. The blond jumped backwards and used his own sword to push hers away from its previously appointed trajectory.

"You're a lot better than I thought you'd be," she said through a smile that showed entirely too many teeth.

Neither of them paused in their manic movements. They had been at it for a while now, and were both covered in sweat, hair sticking to foreheads, and clothes clinging to lightning fast limbs.

"So are you," Draco admitted with delighted smirk, feigning a move to the right, before moving to stab at her left side. She blocked him.

"Where did you learn how to use a sword anyway?" she managed, while spinning to avoid yet another jab, this time aimed to her right side.

"I'm a Malfoy. My father taught me," he growled, using his superior strength to block the barrage of stabs and slashes she suddenly pelted him with. "What about you? Where did you learn how to fight?"

"My father taught me too," she answered simply, before aiming a roundhouse kick at his head. He managed to duck only just in time.

She was faster, but he was stronger. And both were deadly. Talia couldn't help but marvel at the two of them. She wasn't holding anything back, hadn't been for a while now. And unlike when she was sparring with Wyatt, she wasn't afraid of using underhanded tactics; _Slytherin_ tactics.

He wasn't holding anything back either. She could tell.

Neither of them wore any sort of protection against the sharp blades. Talia inspected their clothing with a critical eye. Draco was bare to the waist, only wearing a pair of black, loose fitting, drawstring trousers; the kind she had seen Snape train in. They were certainly a lot more practical to fight in than those stiff robes both of them usually wore. She was wearing a red tank top and black cotton shorts. Scandalous attire in the wizarding world, especially in pureblooded society, she knew. She couldn't help but wonder what Draco thought of that. And she couldn't help but notice how Draco looked in those trousers... Oh my! If only Lavender and Parvati could see him now... She gave a mental shrug focusing back on the fight. It's not like she and Draco hadn't seen each other wearing less; a lot less, she remembered with a leering smile. Draco's blond eyebrow shot upwards at its appearance on her lips, even as he blocked the downward arc of her blade.

Their swords clashed once more. Talia twisted and turned to avoid Draco's powerful thrusts. They moved around the room in an intricate, graceful, dance – blades flashing angrily. Their swords crossed and Draco leant into her, pressing the advantage of his superior strength. Talia had to grit her teeth to hold him off. They were so close! They glared at each other, both breathing heavily.

Talia gasped in pain as her right knee almost buckled under her.

Draco had snaked his leg around hers, and shoved the heel of his foot at the back of her knee. It was a dirty move - and would've worked too, getting Talia on her knees, if she hadn't managed to twist on her good leg, turning into Draco so that her back was to his chest, before shoving a vicious elbow to his ribs. She heard him gasp in her ear, even as the pain in her own knee was abating.

Aching, _protesting_, muscles or not, neither of them even thought of backing out. They were both too stubborn for that.

Talia slashed at his bare shoulder. Her sharp sword danced against his skin, he pushed her off, but it was enough to draw blood. Her eyes glittered triumphantly.

"I win!" she declared gleefully.

Draco smirked.

"Check again, Turner," he drawled.

Talia followed his eyes to her left thigh. A small cut marred the smooth skin. Her eyes widened in surprise. Well that had never happened before!

"A draw..."

"So it would seem," he agreed, smirking at her surprise.

His voice was low and deep again, she noticed. He took a step forward and Talia was assaulted by the very masculine smell of him.

"That was fun, Turner," he said, and his warm breath fanned her flushed face.

Talia knew what he wanted. It shone in the depths of his lust-filled grey eyes. She matched his smirk with one of her own and her eyes sparkled up at him.

"Yes. Yes it was," she breathed provocatively, looking at him through lowered eyelashes.

His arm wrapped around her slim waist and pushed her flush against him. Her skin was on fire everywhere her body touched his. They simply looked at each other for a while, both turned on beyond belief, before Draco bent his head to capture her lips with his own for a savage, open-mouthed, kiss.

..oo00oo..

Draco collapsed on his back breathing heavily.

"And that was even more fun," he managed hoarsely.

"Even better than last time," agreed Talia with a tired, yet very satisfied, smile, "and that's saying something."

Draco attempted a smug smirk, but it came out as more of a goofy-looking smile.

"Last time I was drunk."

"We both were," she said, lying on her side, face cupped in the palm of her hand for support. She laid her other hand on his chest, lazily drawling circles with her fingers on his pale skin.

Both of them were completely naked, yet neither felt the need to cover up. Neither said anything for the longest time, minds blessedly blank, legs entwined.

"You're a strange girl, Talia," he finally said.

She raised an eyebrow at him.

"For sleeping with you?" she asked, amused.

"I can't work out what your motives are," he admitted.

"I repeat: for sleeping with you?"

He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Among other things..."

She shrugged.

"I felt like it. You're sexy."

He looked at her thoughtfully for a while, before turning on his own side to face her.

"You want to have a proper go at this?"

That elegant eyebrow lifted up again.

"You mean a relationship?"

He smirked, amused.

She seriously considered it for a while, while he watched on, curiously.

"It would make things...complicated," she finally answered carefully. "Can either of us afford it at this point in time?"

The hand that wasn't supporting his blond head, reached for her naked waist.

"I enjoy spending time with you, Turner," his hand slithered upwards to cup her naked breast, "and I really, really enjoy making love to you."

"Neither of those has to change," she purred.

It was his turn to lift a blond eyebrow, before curving his lips into a deliciously wicked smirk.

"I repeat my earlier statement, Talia. You're a strange girl," Talia lay down on her back as his hand did wicked things to her breast. "You're simple and complicated at the same time."

"I'm flattered," she breathed.

"It may take me a while, but I'll figure you out eventually."

..oo00oo..

Talia closed the training room door softly, before turning to walk down the corridor, a smile firmly lodged on her face. She and Draco had decided to leave the room separately and she had ten minutes in which to be far away, before he came out.

Not that anyone was likely to be awake at this time of night, she thought, but they were better safe than sorry.

Quickly and quietly she made her way towards the Gryffindor tower, nothing more than just another shadow in the darkened corridors of the ancient castle.

"Another late night, Talia?" a soft voice echoed in the darkness.

Talia froze and the smile ran away from her face. It was as if someone had poured a bucketful of ice cold water down her back.

"Don't be childish, Talia. It's rude not to look at people when they talk to you."

When Talia turned around, her face was an emotionless mask, and her eyes glittered coldly in the dark.

"Riddle," she greeted with a slight, regal, nod.

..oo00oo..

**A/N: **I hate to sound greedy after getting so many lovely reviews last time, but reviews really do make my day!


	25. Turning on the Heat

Yes, I am alive and no, I haven't ran off to anywhere (and certainly not with Draco/Harry/Ron/Wyatt/Cole and/or resurrected!Valdis).

_Ernie: Cinammon. You. Are. Incorrigible._

: Looking shamefaced : Yes, I'm afraid I am Ernie. I can't believe it's been so long since my last update! I don't know how I could've have possibly done this to my readers!

I've had to fight the demons of writer's block, technical difficulties, overzealous professors, and my own laziness, throughout that time. It's been a looooong uphill road, but I've made it!

_Ernie: **We've**. Made. It._

Yes, of course, Ernie. _We've_ made it.

It's just a total shame how, thanks to a new policy of the powers that be, we can't even thank all those faithful readers that have stayed with us, urging us on. How about you just list them all, and _que_ _sera, sera_?

_Ernie: We'd. Like. To. Thank. **Mcgirl.** **CharmingStar. CT Malone. Asian Orchid. Charmed148. Winter Blaze. Silver Mayflower. Brilliance of the Moon. Sveta89. Jackalope hunter. Charmedsisters. Frisbee400. Virginia. Charmedchick11. Harrypotterfan4eva. Colofree. Ori1. bob-the-bear. AK. Charmed Dawn. Sympatheticassassin. Mixer. Charmedsisters. Powerof3or4.**_ _And._ **_Coquetry._**

Believe it or not, while I err... worked on this chapter, your wonderful reviews made many of my days! Not that there was any reason to worry of course. I do intend to finish this story if it kills me! It's just taking longer than I thought it would... L

**Frisbee400** you are truly the queen of amusing reviews, thus I dedicate this chapter to you. I just wish it was a better chapter to dedicate.

And as always...

_Ernie: We'd. like. To. Thank. **Nightcrawler.** Our. Ever. Faithful. Beta._

**..oo00oo..**

**Chapter 25: Turning on the Heat**

He looked exactly as he had looked the last time she had seen him, right down to the gleaming Head Boy budge on his old-fashioned robes.

"What are you doing here, Riddle?"

"Now, now, Princess," he scolded with a condescending smirk, "where have your manners gone?"

Talia's eyes glinted angrily in the dim light, but her countenance betrayed no other change.

"I'm not in the mood for games."

The handsome head boy feigned a disappointed look.

"That's a shame." His eyes travelled lazily down her frame. "And I was so looking forward to playing with you," he leered.

Talia moved with predatory grace towards the young man before her.

"What exactly is the point of these little visits, Riddle?"

Riddle just stood there, smirking, letting her circle him and examine him with narrowed eyes, from all angles.

"You and I are alike in so many ways, Talia. Now that you've joined my world, I feel like I should get to know you better," he drawled.

Talia raised an eyebrow at his wording.

"_Your _world?"

"Don't play dumb, Talia. It doesn't suit you," the young man scolded, though his voice rang with indulgent amusement.

"Last I heard, there's a war going on, Riddle. What makes you so sure you'll win?"

Riddle's lips twisted in a menacing grin.

"It's a matter of timing, really. Dumbledore's too old, and Harry Potter too young," he said flippantly.

"Harry and I are the same age," she reminded him.

"Are you?" he enquired shrewdly. "He is a child compared to you and you know it. He's been sheltered all his life by Dumbledore and his cronies, even if he doesn't realise it. He does not stand a chance against me and he knows it."

Riddle made his way to stand directly behind Talia. She did not turn to face him, just stood there, stiff, tense, yet to his delight, listening.

"You've killed," he whispered in her ear, the words rolling seductively from his tongue, sending shivers up and down her spine and making the little hairs at the back of her neck stand on end. "You've felt the ecstasy of taking a life," his warm breath wickedly teased. "You've tasted the exquisite pleasure of men's pain and seen the life leave their eyes. You've felt your fingers slick with their blood. You've walked down the Dark path…

"And you were magnificent."

"That was the old me," her voice rang forcefully in a harsh whisper down the darkened corridor.

He chuckled and walked to face her.

"Don't be naïve, Talia. People don't change."

"I have," she insisted.

"Have you?" he enquired with a raised eyebrow. Slowly, deliberately, he glided closer to her, once again invading her personal space. "Once a killer, always a killer." He smiled kindly at the brunette before him, "You don't belong within these walls any more than I did, Talia. And the sooner you accept that, the sooner we can explore several other options." His hand reached out to tug lightly at a lock of hair that had fallen in her face.

Talia's eyes narrowed.

"Such as?"

"Join me, Talia," he cupped her cheek with his palm, his eyes burning into hers. "I would make you Queen! Together, the two of us will destroy the world and rebuild it as we see fit! We will be _gods_! A new world order will rise from the ashes, and you and I will rule over it forever!" he finished off triumphantly. His voice echoed, and the very walls seemed to tremble with his words.

Talia looked at him incredulously.

"You've got to be kidding me," she said, breaking the silence that succeeded his words. "What happened to originality?"

Tom Riddle blinked disbelievingly. Talia scrunched up her face in a gleeful smile.

"Come with me, Talia," she mocked in a deep voice, "let's be evil and rule the world!" She grinned at his obvious discomfort. "Who talks like that, anyway!"

Tom Riddle scowled.

"We could be gods! Come on! Who writes this stuff!"

"You'll be sorry you mocked me," Tom Riddle growled, his face white with rage.

"Will I really?" she counteracted with an arrogant smile. Quick as lightning, her features changed again and she was dead serious. "Let's make sure we understand each other, Riddle. If I can help it, I don't want any part in your little wizarding war, but if my involvement can't be helped, I've already chosen my side. My place is next to my cousin and aunts, and they fight for the Light. Promise me what you will; I will not side against them. Not for power, not for glory, not even for immortality!"

With every final word she took a step closer to him. It was _she_ that was invading his personal space now. Fire burned in the depths of her eyes. He was a good head taller than her and she had to look up at him as she hoarsely declared her intentions and alliances. She paused to examine the damage her words had done. And that's when she noticed.

Gone was the glee from Riddle's eyes, but so was the anger. Talia noted that he had managed to pull himself together in an admirably short amount of time. His eyes were cold now; emotionless portals to nothingness. He hadn't backed away from her, not for a single moment throughout her tirade, and now he took the one necessary step to bring them even closer. Their lips were barely millimetres apart.

"I'll see you change your mind, little phoenix," he said, before finally closing the distance between them with a punishing kiss. His tongue plundered her mouth and his teeth scraped roughly against her lips. His large left hand buried itself in her hair, tugging viciously at the silky strands, while the fingers of his other hand left painful bruises on her hip.

It didn't last long, but it seemed to Talia that it had lasted an eternity. When she finally opened her eyes, he was gone.

Rage burned inside of her. And the hallowed corridors of Hogwarts echoed with the scream of an angry phoenix.

**..oo00oo..**

After a particularly gruelling Charms lesson, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Talia walked the empty corridors of Hogwarts.

"I love free periods!" exclaimed Ron. "I don't know how we got through school without them when we were younger."

"Lessons weren't quite as hard when we were younger, Ron," said Hermione, stretching. "We really need the occasional break between classes now."

"I never thought I'd hear _you_ say that, Hermione," said Harry, "but I agree. That last Charms lesson was lethal!"

"What are you complaining about, Harry? You did really well."

"So did you Talia, but that's not the point. I concentrated so hard, I've given myself a bloody headache!"

Talia had to concede that Harry looked exhausted. And no wonder! What with all the extra training with the Order, on top of his schoolwork and quidditch practise, she was happy to see him still standing!

"I know just the thing for your headache, Harry," offered Ron with a grin. "How does a game of chess in the common room sound?"

"Sounds good, Ron," Harry grinned back.

"How's that supposed to help his headache?" Talia asked Hermione.

Hermione shrugged.

"Race you?" asked Ron.

Harry's grin stretched. "Go!"

"Hey!" called Ron after him, running to catch up.

Hermione rolled her eyes and Talia chuckled.

"Hey Mione, wanna pay the house elves a visit? I missed lunch today to do my potions homework and I'm starving!

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Honestly Talia, you're just as bad as the boys sometimes. You can't just leave things off 'til the last minute!"

"Oh, Mione," Talia groaned. "I hand everything in on time, don't I? And none of the Professors have any problem with it! Now, do you want to come with me or not?"

Hermione hid a smile and shook her head.

"I want to go over my transfiguration notes from today's lesson. We're working on partial human transfiguration and none of us managed to get it quite right yet," the curly-haired witch admitted.

"Ok, I'll catch you guys back at the common room," Talia said before turning to head towards the Hogwarts' kitchen.

**..oo00oo..**

"Princess Talia."

The hoarse voice echoed and bounced of the thick stone walls of the Hogwarts' corridor. Talia froze.

She would know that voice anywhere. And it didn't belong in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft And Wizardry.

"Uncle Xander?"

A man in a black cloak shimmered before her. He threw his hood back to reveal silver hair, chiselled features and icy blue eyes. The man knelt in front of Talia.

"My lady," he greeted her respectfully.

Talia smiled. The old demon was incredibly old-fashioned and tended to cling to the old ways. It had been nearly a year since she had seen him and the last time she had seen him, she had been spying on him.

"How many times must I tell you, Uncle Xander? You don't need to kneel before me."

Xander stood up.

"Circumstances may have changed, my lady, but you will always be the Princess of the Underworld."

Talia rested her hand on his shoulder.

"Circumstances may have changed, but you haven't changed at all, have you, old friend? It's good to see you."

Lord Xander, member of the Evil Council, one of the most powerful demons of the Underworld, smiled back.

"I'm not complaining, but what are you doing here, Uncle Xander?"

His smile faltered.

"I'm afraid I bring bad news, Princess."

Talia turned downcast at his words.

"I guessed. Why else would my father send you?" she said, a little bitterly.

"He loves you, child, you know that."

Talia sighed.

"Yes, Uncle Xander. I know that."

They both stayed silent for a while, thinking back to what once was, when the three of them had led the Underworld with an iron fist.

"So what's this bad news you've mentioned?" she suddenly asked with false cheer.

"What do you know of a dark wizard called Voldemort, Princess?" Xander grew terribly serious.

"I've heard of him." she said carefully.

Talia loved Xander and her father with all her heart, but she was clever enough to realise exactly what it meant to fight on different sides of the War between Good and Evil. The last thing she wanted was to betray her friends to their enemy.

Xander noticed her reluctance to tell him exactly what she had heard about Voldemort. He approved and couldn't help but feel a little proud. After all, he had helped both raise her, and train her, into the young woman she now was.

"Lord Voldemort was a favourite of the old Source. He...disappeared for a while and has only now recently resurfaced. He is arrogant, but he is powerful."

Talia nodded. She knew as much and more.

"He has asked your father for your hand in marriage."

Talia's left eyebrow flew up in surprise. That, she didn't know.

"And what did Father say?"

"That the Phoenix makes her own decisions."

Talia nodded stiffly. The marriage proposal had caught her off guard.

"Is that all?" she asked curtly. She needed to be alone right now. To consider this new piece of information on her own, before doing something she might later regret.

Xander shook his head.

"I'm afraid not, Princess. Lord Voldemort has always..." his eyes wondered to take in their surroundings, "taken a great interest in this school."

"So I understand," Talia said regally, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Xander sighed tiredly.

"Entering the wizarding world was not the good idea it at first seemed, my lady. Lord Voldemort knows where you are. He's determined to make you his bride. And he's not going to take no for an answer."

Xander's words echoed in Talia's ears. Her eyes blazed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she hissed.

"Princess..."

Talia looked at him through narrowed eyes. None of this was Xander's fault, she knew that, but it wasn't fair damn it!

"I'm never going to see the end of this, am I?" she said, her voice a harsh whisper in the dimness of the corridor.

"I left the Underworld so that I didn't have to be the Phoenix anymore! I thought being a Wiccan witch in the mortal world would be enough, but it couldn't possibly be that _easy_ for me, could it?" she snarled. Talia started pacing furiously as her voice rose in volume. "It doesn't take a genius to work out that by simply being with them, I was putting my family and friends in constant danger!"

"How many demons are waiting out there, wanting to make a name for themselves by killing me, Uncle Xander? Did you know that before I left San Francisco, we were averaging two to three demon attacks _a week_ at the manor!"

"Talia..."

"Two to three attacks _a week_, Uncle Xander!

"When I saw my Hogwarts letter..." she let out a mirthless laugh, "I can't believe I was naïve enough to think that the wizarding world could be the answer to everything!

"I thought...well, at least here everyone knows about magic, right? And I wouldn't be expected to kill! And wizards hardly ever have contact with demons and Wiccans!" A bitter smile shaped her lips. "Boy was I wrong!

"A powerful weapon...that's all I'm ever going to be to anyone, isn't it? First the Source, then Perdicus, the Elders, and now Dumbledore and Voldemort!

"I'm tired of fighting, Uncle Xander! Is that too much to ask...to be left alone!"

Talia stood panting after her tirade, her eyes losing for a while their fiery spark. She closed them in defeat, in a futile effort to shut out the world outside.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry, Princess," the demon said softly, patiently waiting for her to get her feelings under control.

When Talia finally opened her eyes, gone was any trace of the young girl that had met him minutes ago. Her expression, her whole stance, was stony. Her eyes were so cold and unemotional, they were positively glacial, but beneath her frosty exterior, Xander felt the raging inferno of the Phoenix's rage and he, a demon that was centuries-old, who had seen some of the most horrific acts in history, who had even been responsible for some of those acts, had to resist the urge to shudder. This was no longer the Talia Turner her schoolmates and teachers knew. This wasn't even the Talia the Charmed Ones knew. This was the Talia he had grown to know and sometimes even fear, in the depths of the Underworld. This was the murderous face the Phoenix's victims saw with their dying breath. She was battle ready.

"Thank you, Xander," she said coldly, "and thank my father too for the warning. _I_'ll deal with this problem from now on."

The aging demon knelt once again in front of her. She did not tell him to get up this time. She was Talia, Princess of All Evil, and he, was but her loyal servant.

"My lady..." he said, taking her little hand in his own and placing a reverent kiss on it.

"You are excused, Lord Xander," she said, distractedly.

And with that he shimmered out, leaving a coldly furious Talia behind.

She stood perfectly still for a few minutes. The air seemed to crackle around her as she battled to contain her rage. Eventually, she took a deep breath, and all but ran towards the Gryffindor dormitories.

**..oo00oo..**

"Talia?" called Hermione.

But the furious brunette that had just violently barged into the Gryffindor common room ignored her and stomped her way towards the staircase that led to the girls' dormitories.

Ron, Harry and Hermione exchanged concerned looks as they watched their friend march up the stairs.

"What's gotten into her?" asked Ron.

Harry shrugged, but his eyes were glued to the door that Talia had just disappeared behind.

"Maybe you should go check up on her, Hermione," he suggested.

Hermione nodded and headed up the stairs.

**..oo00oo..**

"Tal?" Hermione said apprehensively, knocking on the door. It was her room too of course, but she was trying to be considerate.

Hermione's mouth dropped and her eyes widened in surprise.

Talia's school uniform was scattered everywhere and her friend was just zipping up a pair of tight leather trousers. All she wore on top was a black strapless bra.

"What are you doing out of uniform, Talia? School isn't finished for the day yet."

"I've had enough of this place!" Talia snarled wild-eyed and wild-haired. "I'm getting the hell out!"

Hermione shrunk back in fear and Talia noticed. Immediately, she forced herself to stop her frantic activities.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," she said quietly, tersely, not looking at her friend. "I didn't mean to yell at you. It's not you I'm angry with," she said in an ever so slightly kinder tone, and moved to her trunk obviously looking for something in it. "I just need to get away for a while, to clear my head, you know?"

Talia held up a black halter top in triumph and proceeded to slip it over her head. Hermione looked more concerned for her friend than ever.

"What happened, Talia?"

The other girl adjusted her halter top and shook her head.

"I wish I could tell you Hermione, and one day, who knows, maybe I will, but I'm just not ready yet."

Her movements were tight and jerky.

"Will you at least tell me where you're going? Or when you'll be back?"

Talia paused the manic brushing of her hair to give this some thought.

Had this been almost anyone else but Hermione, in her present mood she would have rudely ignored them and probably cursed them for good measure. But Hermione had always been kind to her and Talia didn't want to lose the girl's friendship. She suspected Hermione wouldn't take kindly to being cursed, and she would probably fail to understand that Talia never meant anything she said or did when she was angry, like Wyatt and the rest of Talia's family had learnt to do.

"Not sure. I'll probably be back by tomorrow though."

She took a deep breath.

"Look, Hermione, I hate to be rude, but if you want us to remain friends, and believe me, _I_ do, there's a few things you need to understand about me.

"Now, I don't know if you've noticed," she said, her voice suddenly dripping with sarcasm, "but I'm pretty upset right now. I need to get out of Hogwarts before I do or say something that _I_ won't be the _only_ one to regret. Now, please," she leaned in to snatch a leather jacket that hang in her side of the cupboard they shared, "don't stand in my way."

**..oo00oo..**

Harry and Ron looked up from the new game of wizarding chess they had just set up. Their mouths hung wide open at Talia's appearance. Her...choice of apparel was highly unusual in the wizarding world and very out of place except in places like Knockturn Alley.

"Talia?"

"Merlin!" breathed out Ron.

His eyes first took in Talia's high-heeled boots. They rose to gaze longingly at her slender, leather-clad legs, her body's elegant lines quite obvious through the ultra-tight trousers. They brushed over the flat, exposed mid-drift, and paused rather obviously at Talia's cleavage.

"Where are you going, Talia?" he heard Harry ask next to him.

He finally lifted his eyes to her face. Ron's ears, and entire person for that matter, were bright crimson. Behind Talia, Hermione was scowling at him.

Talia tried to hold back a groan at Harry's question. Was everyone going to ask her the same thing?

"What does it look like?" she answered more coldly than she intended to. "I'm going out."

"But we have Potions in half an hour!" managed Ron.

Talia shrugged and continued walking towards the Gryffindor common room's exit.

"You're planning on skipping class," stated Harry, placing himself between Talia and the portrait. Their eyes locked and they glared at each other.

Hermione and Ron exchanged anxious looks. They'd never seen Talia like this before. Who knew what she would do?

"Harry..." started Ron, but Talia and Harry ignored him.

Talia's eyes blazed.

"Yes," she hissed, "I'm planning on skipping school. Now, let me through, Harry," she growled.

"For all we know, Voldemort's after you," he said, not knowing how accurate his words were. "Let me come with you."

"Harry!" exclaimed Hermione.

Ron held her back. Something was happening between Harry and Talia, something he didn't quite understand, but something that he felt was important and shouldn't be interrupted.

Talia looked at Harry appraisingly. After a while, she nodded.

"Okay, Harry. I'm in a teaching mood..." she drawled.

What she had just said sounded condescending as hell, but Harry got the feeling that she hadn't said it to be condescending.

The Talia he was seeing now, was not the same Talia he had befriended at platform 9 ¾. She wasn't the same girl he had seen every day for the past month, the girl he shared classes, jokes and meals with. She seemed older somehow, more powerful and more in control of everything around her. Little did Harry know that he was meeting Talia, the Princess of All Evil, for the first time.

"You can't go to where we're going dressed like this," she told him looking him up and down, and obviously finding him lacking.

She tugged at his Gryffindor tie, took it off, and threw it on the couch.

"Allow me," she said taking her wand out, aiming at him.

Seeing this, Ron pulled out his own wand. Hermione placed a hand on his sleeve. Their eyes met. She shook her head. Ron had been right the first time. Whatever was going on was between Harry and Talia... They shouldn't interfere.

"_Transvespis,_" Talia said.

Harry found himself dressed in a torn pair of jeans, a black t-shirt and a long leather cloak.

"Let's go, Harry," Talia said as she pushed past him and held the portrait open for him.

Harry turned to look at his two friends who were in turn looking at him and Talia with a mixture of surprise, confusion and, Harry was amused to see, in Ron's case, barely concealed admiration.

"I guess we'll see you later," said Harry.

"Take care, you two," said Hermione, wringing her hands anxiously.

Harry nodded briefly and walked past Talia to exit the Gryffindor common room.

"Wait, Talia," Hermione said just before Talia disappeared too. "What do we tell Snape?"

Talia smiled strangely at her.

"Tell him...I got a message from my father and I had to leave. Tell him I took Harry with me because it's about time someone let him know what's going on. Tell him that we'll both be back tomorrow and not to worry. I've got everything under control."

And with that, Harry and Talia disappeared from Ron and Hermione's view.

"I hope they know what they're doing," said Hermione before burying her head in Ron chest.

Ron's arms rose of their own accord to hold her there.

"Me too. Or I swear Talia's going to regret ever taking Harry with her!"

It was quite some time until they realised the intimate position they were in and drew back awkwardly.

**..oo00oo..**

"Any idea where we're going?" asked Harry, trying to keep up with Talia, who was practically running down the corridors.

"Somewhere we can get a drink. I need one right now."

"Talia? Harry?" called Ginny.

Wyatt stood next to her. They had just finished their Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson with Professor Lupin when they saw their strangely dressed friends.

Wyatt took one look at his cousin's face and knew better than to ask what happened. She would tell him later when she was ready. On seeing Wyatt, Talia stopped and Harry bumped into her.

The two cousins shared a look. Wyatt was the first to look away.

"Where are you going Tal?"

"Out," she answered, "Harry insisted on coming. We'll be back tomorrow."

"Anything I should worry about?"

"Yes. But it can wait." Her eyes flickered to Harry who now stood at her side. "It's time Harry and I had a heart-to-heart."

Ginny watched wide-eyed as Wyatt nodded seriously. He and Talia had talked about this before.

"But..." Ginny started. Something was going on here, and she had no idea what.

"Come on, Ginny," said Wyatt steering the younger girl in a different direction. "We've got Herbology next and you promised to go over my essay before class."

Ginny allowed herself to be taken away, but her head was still turned in their direction when she was pulled around the corner.

Talia remained standing where she was, looking after the younger pair. Harry started to fidget.

"Err...Talia? Wherever it is that we're going...any idea on how we're going to get there?"

Talia's brown eyes focused on him at last.

"Harry, you wanted to come with me and I accepted because there are some things that I honestly think you should know. Since no one else is willing to tell you, I've decided to take on the task."

"Things about Voldemort?" he chanced.

She smiled and it looked oddly feral.

"About Voldemort, about me, and about Wyatt. I'm going to trust you with a lot of secrets Harry, things that I'm going to ask you to keep to yourself. You can't even tell Ron and Hermione, understand?"

Harry hesitated, but eventually nodded.

"Okay, lesson number one for the evening. Have you ever heard of Wiccan witches?"

Harry shook his head.

"Wiccans, like normal witches and wizards, have magic abilities, but whereas in the wizarding world people need wands to channel their magic, Wiccans don't. It's hard to explain the differences between them, but Wiccan magic is a lot rawer than the kind of magic we learn here. It's both more and less limiting than wizarding magic. As well as being able to cast spells and brew potions, it manifests itself in Wiccan witches, in the form of gifts, or powers, that a witch has.

"Wyatt and I are Wiccan witches. The first at Hogwarts in quite some time. One of my powers is called flaming and it's a bit like apparating, but a lot more impressive-looking. Hogwarts may be guarded against apparition, but it's not guarded against flaming. I can take us wherever we want."

Harry seemed suitably impressed.

"Give me your hand, Harry."

Harry did as she asked and Talia flamed them out.


End file.
